Once Upon a Seashore
by Unity of Moon and Sun
Summary: Rin, a mermaid, has been taught since she was young not to trust anyone with legs. But what happens when she falls in love with a human? LenxRin
1. Prolouge

**AN- Ok so I got inspired by something weird again....Damnit.**

**Warning for those who will like this story, don't expect it to be updated often. This is merely a side project until I can finish Teach Me, or Unartificial Love.**

**Just something to work on while I have writers block.**

**And no this isn't based off of The Little Mermaid. Or the song by Megurine Luka...**

**DISCLAIMER: I own not the Vocaloids.**

**And so here we go.**

**

* * *

**It's amazing how soothing the gentle pressure of moving waves feels under the ocean. Amazing how in the right sort of sunlight the bits of salt in the water twinkle like individual stars meant for those who can't surface. Amazing how each peice of coral could be a different colour, different size, and house a variety of different creatures, all as beautiful and colourful as the last.

I could watch, and listen, and feel these many wonders forever.

"Mama! What's this one?" I asked, pointing to an odd shaped creature stuck to a rock. Mama looked at me and smiled, her short, brown hair gently moving about her face with the wind moving the waves. She gently picked up the creature, having a bit of difficulty getting it to come off, and held it out to me for a better view. My older sister, Luka, and our friend Miku gathered around Mama as well. Miku was sort of like my sister as well, though not by blood. Her parents were killed long ago and we took her in.

"It's a starfish." She said, "You see? It's shaped like a twinkling star that we see every night."

All three of us 'ooh'd' and 'aaah'd' at the small starfish. I even dared to pet it, tracing my fingers gently over each pointed arm. Big sister was too afraid to touch it, and Miku giggled as she took it into her hands and threatened Big Sister with it. I took the starfish away from her however, feeling sorry for it being thrusted around so violently, and gently set it back on the rock.

"Luka doesn't like starfish, does she?" Miku teased, pulling at Sister's cheek.

"I'm not afraid of them if that's what you mean." She replied, swatting her hand away and rubbing the sore spot on her cheek. "It's just that I prefer tuna."

"Tuna's aren't pretty though!" I laughed. Sister blushed.

"Yes they are!"

"Clown fish are much more cute." I argued. "Right, Mama?" I asked her. She laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. But before she could answer our quartet was suddenly forced to break apart. We scattered in separate areas as a large silver instrument came slicing between us. A hooked sword, buried deeply in the sand by the force of it's impact. We all looked up to the surface.

Overhead loomed the shadow we only knew as death. Well...as Miku and my family knew as death. Being as young as I was then I had no understanding of what the object meant.

A boat is what it was. A boat full of humans. But I had no idea of what it was. The humans were fishing. They just happened to catch sight of our tails.

"Girls, it's best we go." Mama was saying, but I wasn't listening. I was looking up at the humans who were looking down. They could probably see me, the way they were squinting into the waves. They instantly fascinated me.

"C'mon, Rin! Mother says it's time to move." Sister was calling me. But instead I eased a little closer to the surface. They could see me now I was positive. The way their eyes widened and they suddenly became frantic. I could hear them talking above but I couldn't understand their language. It was so..dull compared to the one we spoke.

"Rin!"

Again I ignored them and continued to study them. The boat was rocking now as they dashed back and forth. What were they doing? Why did they look so excited to see me? They didn't know me.

"Mama, they look...happy to see us." I muttered.

"Rin! Get away from there!" Mama grab my hand and began to pull me with her. I was still watching the humans, eying the metal sword one of them had positioned over the side of the boat. What were they going to do with that?

"Mama...what is that?" I asked, lifting my finger to point upward. When Mama saw what I was pointing at her eyes widened. She gasped as the human threw it into the water. Headed straight for me! It was going to hit me!

That is until Mama tugged me just out of it's reach. She hugged me against her chest as the weapon shot to the sea floor. I could feel the water moving behind me from where it was shot. Mama pulled me along with her, swimming as fast as I'd ever seen her. Sister and Miku followed behind us. I didn't understand anything. I was too young to understand. Why were the humans so...excited by us?

Mama didn't stop swimming until we reached our home, which was a small cave a little ways from the coral reef we played in. Papa was there. He took one look at Mama's face and suddenly he had the same expression.

"What? What's wrong?"

He dashed to Mama, and took her face into his hands. I managed to get Mama to release me, before moving over to my big sister.

"Fishermen." Mama replied. "Out by the reef. They had those...those...harpoon things."

"Meiko, you're bleeding." Papa said, gesturing to the cut on her shoulder. She looked at it and shrugged.

"Nothing a wrap of seaweed won't fix." She said. "Honestly, Kaito, you worry to much." Papa smiled.

"At least the girls are ok." He muttered.

"Why wouldn't we be?" I asked. Papa let go of Mama and looked at me.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"That's her first time seeing the humans. She doesn't know any better." Mama said gently. Papa blinked several times before motioning for me. I obeyed, coming closer. He looked at Sister and Miku as well.

"You all need to hear this." He said, gathering us around him.

"Humans are evil," he said with the most serious of expressions, "they're greedy creatures with no hearts. They even fight amongst each other, killing over bits of land, or currency. They kill even for the sport of things. Not many of them know of our existence, but those who do or those who see us will no doubt want to kill or capture us."

"But why, Father?" Sister asked. I was curious as well.

"Because, we are strange to them. We are weird to them, as they are weird to us. Because we have what they do not."

"You mean a tail?" I asked, emphasizing by swishing my yellow tail through the water. Papa smiled and patted my head.

"Yes, Rin. If they caught us, they would do horrible things to us. And our kind is dying out as it is....Which is why I warn you, girls, never trust a human. Even the kindest looking ones can turn their backs on you."

I believed my father. I held on to those words like they were the most precious thing in the world. I stayed away from the boats, the nets, the humans on the shore. I could never let them see me less I suffer the tortures Papa described to me. That is...Until my 17th birthday.


	2. The Birthday

**An- Ah you're lucky. I still have writers block D=**

**Now there's no reason to set up any tents.**

**

* * *

  
**

"Rin!"

"You think she'd hear us by now..."

"I know, right? Riiin~"

I moaned in my sleep and turned my back to my sister. I didn't deserve to be conscious yet. I heard Luka huff and I felt the water move, signaling she was moving around the giant oyster shell that served as my bed. I could feel her staring at me with those huge, blue eyes of hers, but I refused to give in and open mine. How could a creature sleep all night yet still be so sleepy in the morning?

"Rin..." Luka whispered. I was right. Really close to my face. Again I rolled over, forcing her to stare at the back of my head. But before I could settle I again caught the feeling of being watched.

"Rin...." Miku....They were tag-teaming. I sighed.

"What?" I groaned, opening my eyes.

"IT LIVES!" Miku exclaimed. Luka then proceeded to literally push me out of bed. Good thing I could float. I instantly corrected myself, curving my tail as to not scrape it along the rocky floor. I pushed my long, golden hair back from floating in my face and glared at the two smiling maids.

"Can't I get any sleep around here?" I mumbled.

"Hey, hey. We've been up all morning, getting ready for _your_ birthday, and this is how we're treated?" Luka said, crossing her arms.

"That's quite rude of you, Rin." Miku added, copying Luka's posture, right down to the curve of her pink tail. I sighed again, letting them know they had made their point.

"You're right. You're right. I'm sorry." I said, giving them a smile. Miku laughed cheerfully and held to my right arm.

"That's ok, Rin. We know how you are in the morning." She said. Luka grabbed my other arm and linked hers through it.

"Yeah, we are your sisters after all." I swear...these two were like one person. They fed off of each other.

"Come on now, let's go see what Luka and I have waiting for you outside." Miku sang, beginning to pull on my arm. Luka did the same with the other, both working to drag me out of the cave and into the morning light. I allowed them this, instead turning my attention upward. The morning sunshine threaded through the ocean top. It looked like it was calm weather today. No waves. Through the window of the ocean's surface I could see the sky. Barely any clouds out, and those that were were harmless looking. All puffy and white. The water also felt warmer today.

"Good morning, Rin. So glad for you to join us." I snapped my head back down to see my mother. With a smile and a laugh, she gently ruffled my hair. She and I both watched as my sisters released me and went to float next to her.

"Happy birthday, Rin!" They all chanted at once, as Mother pulled a small oyster from behind her back. It was clamped shut with a small blue ribbon tied around it. The ribbon probably came from Miku. She collected such odd things from shipwrecks.

I felt myself break into a smile. I gently took the oyster and tugged the ribbon off before prying open the shells. What rested inside made me gasp and clasp my hand over my mouth. A bracelet. Made of pearls. Not small but not large, a milky white colour. They gently sparkled in my fingers as I turned them back and forth, my mouth hung open in both surprise and delight.

"These are....I.....How did....?" I trailed off each sentence, looking back up at the three.

"I found the string." Miku said, raising her hand.

"I found the pearls....Took me forever to find enough that were at least close to the same size." Luka smiled, and placed her hand on Mother's shoulder. "And then Mother and Father strung it for us."

I giggled, giddily as I slipped it onto my left wrist, maneuvering the pearls carefully over the small yellow fin protruding from the wrist. Once it was on I held it up to the light, turning my arm to see how it looked. It fit me rather well I must say. The others could tell I was pleased, I'm sure. When my attention was reclaimed by them they were all smiling.

"Thanks so much! I love it!" I nearly shouted.

"Told you she would." Luka muttered before Mother elbowed her in the side.

"Oh, awake are we, Rin?" I turned to see Father swimming toward us. No doubt he'd gone to get his breakfast. Speaking of which, I was feeling rather hungry myself.

"Rather I was forced awake." I said dryly, looking at my sisters out of the corner of my eye. They grinned.

"Ah, well...just harmless fun." Father said with a soft smile. "Happy birthday, Rin."

"Thank you. Oh, and thank you for the bracelet." I held my wrist up to him. I found myself beginning to admire it again. That is until Father gasped.

"They-.....You three were supposed to wait until I got back before you gave it to her!" He shouted, pointing a finger at the three females. Mother softly began to snicker, while my sisters held it in. Father hung his head.

"Y-you're welcome, Rin."

I laughed a bit, and patted his azure hair. Same old Father...

* * *

Hunting for me was like second nature. Easy. Especially since I picked small prey. Shrimp in particular. Bite size and a bit crunchy. Yummy. And like always, whatever I found was all for me. My sisters and I always used to fight over food before we were old enough to hunt for ourselves. I almost never got any of the good stuff. I've learned better than to hunt with anyone other than myself. That way, I'd get all I want and whatever I could find.

I twirled a bit as I stuffed the last of what used to be a shrimp into my mouth. That would be the last bite for the morning. Enough to tide me over until the evening. Then I would treat myself to the biggest prey I could find. It _was_ my birthday after all. I think maybe I'd hunt one of those tuna that Luka seems to love so much. They were pretty huge. Or perhaps a catfish. Whatever lay in wait, I was sure it'll be delicious!

I swam a bit faster, my body curving with each swift move of my tail. I loved my small family, but I enjoyed the time I had to myself. To explore the range of seafloor that we had claim over, admiring each fish and creature I met...Sometimes when I was sure I was completely alone I'd sit on a large stone near the reef and just sing. Whatever came to mind. Sometimes just humming a few notes or actually coming up with lyrics to go with it. I'm sure if my sisters would sing with me it would sound better, but like I said..I liked my alone time.

I think that was where I was headed. The reef we played in as children. My reef. To sing whatever melodies may come to thought. I glided over the forest of seaweed that grew along the sea floor. I swam so low that I could feel some of the longer blades of weed brush over my bare chest and stomach. It tickled a bit, but it was tolerable. Up ahead I would be able to see my reef, the bright colours of the coral and the even brighter fish that I so adored.

But somewhere along the way, I developed a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. A feeling that something wasn't right. The feeling only grew worse as I continued forward. So I slowed my pace as I neared the end of the forest of seaweed. Just ahead was my reef. From where I floated, I couldn't see anything strange, but trusting my instincts I ducked down into the seaweed, the many blades feeling a bit itchy against my skin. I parted the clump of weeds in front of me to look out.

That's when I saw him.

A human. Male, it looked like. He wasn't pale, but not exactly touched by the sun either. Bright blonde hair that would probably fall at his shoulders on land, though now each strand was at the mercy of the current. Blue eyes that matched the water around him. He was wearing only a pair of....s-...shorts? Is that what they were called? Well those and one of those large metal bottles on his back that I've seen the human divers use. I think it held air for them to breath since the masks were almost always on their faces. But this human didn't use it as often as the divers. Only one breath every 30-40 seconds or so. Then the mask would fall to his side. That was an impressive time for a human.

I scowled, having an idea of what he was doing in my reef. Humans came every so often to take some of the coral, or even the fish, destroying the habitat in the process. It angered me so, but I couldn't risk being seen by them. I didn't want those experiments that Father described to happen to me. I shuddered at the thought.

So I waited....and waited....but he did nothing to harm the coral, or the creatures inhabiting it. Simply observed. Only touched, never took. Only looked, never broke. It....fascinated me. Given, humans to me in general were fascinating but this one...he...he...enticed me. The way he respected the creatures and things he touched. Almost as if he emulated the respect I harbored myself for the ocean. At one point he began to observe things he'd already observed. As if he was re-discovering their existence, the wonderment his expression held never faltering for an instant.

Time seemed to stand still as I watched him, whether he was observing or simply lounging on my stone, taking small breaths as needed from the air-carrier on his back. I began to wonder how he would observe a creature such as myself. Would he be cruel, as Father has told me. Or as gentle as he treated my reef. Suddenly the thought of him touching me sent a shudder down my spine. Whether or not it was because of disgust at the thought, I don't know. But either way one thing was certain.

This human...whoever he was....he intrigued me. Had effected me in some way...and I don't think it's a bad thing....

I watched from the seaweed for a short while before the human decided to surface. Even still I waited in case he came back. He didn't. I detangled myself from the seaweed and instead rested myself on my stone. It was a long while that I sat there, humming a bit here and there. Not really in a singing mood today I supposed. In the back of my mind I was hoping that that human would come back.

"Rin!"

I jumped. After being by myself for a while I didn't expect someone to shout so near to me. I turned around and wasn't really surprised to find Miku and Luka swimming toward me. Miku stopped in front of me, but Luka continued forward, tackling me in an embrace.

"Uwah!" I cried as she collided with me. Once her arms were wrapped firmly around my neck she pulled back to look at me.

"We were expecting you home a long time ago. What have you been doing?" She asked, smiling at my reaction to her embrace.

"Nothing really." I said, honestly.

"Just traveling back and forth from Lala Land?" Miku laughed. I cracked a smile as well.

"I suppose so." I admitted.

"Nevertheless, Rin, it's your birthday. And you shouldn't be alone on your birthday." Luka said, ruffling my hair a bit.

"No. I guess not." I said. She tilted her head a bit, her brows coming together.

"What?" I asked.

"Is something wrong? You look...sort of lost."

"Well...it's just that there was a human here earlier-"

"A human?! In the reef? Again?!" Miku exclaimed, throwing her hands up. I quickly began waving mine to calm her.

"No no. He didn't do anything to it...I mean...all he did was look. Like we do. I'm wondering why he wasn't as the others were. As Father described." I looked down, my brows furrowing in puzzlement. Luka rested her forehead against mine.

"It's like Father said. Even the nicest looking ones can turn on you." She reminded me.

"Yes I know..." I replied, looking up at her, our foreheads still pressed together. She placed her palm against my cheek and smiled sweetly.

"Now forget about the stupid human," she said, "It's time to celebrate. It's not every day my little sister comes of age."

* * *

**An- Kaito's such a goober =D**

**Review please. I'm selfish and I like reviews. Guilty pleasure.  
**


	3. The Feelings

**An- This chapter is rather long, ne?  
Ah well, you guys seem to like this crap-tastic story.**

**I'm trying to move quickly to the part where Rin and Len actually make some_ contact_ but not to quickly as to rush through it. D=**

**

* * *

**I did as my sister requested. I forgot about that boy at the reef and instead focused on the affection that came with celebrating a birthday. As she had said, it wasn't everyday that I turn 17. I was now officially considered an adult....though I knew in the pit of my stomach that I would still be treated as a child. I was the youngest in the family...and it will always remain so. But even so, I still like to think I'm the most mature of the children...Most of the time.

I did have my moments. But at least I didn't push people out of their beds in the morning! Like some I know!

Luka and Miku spent the rest of the day with me, doing whatever I requested of them and more. Like when they forced me down and took turns brushing through my hair with a brush Miku had found while scavenging the wreckage of a sunken ship. I had to admit it was kind of nice.

During the evening I let my sisters tag along on my hunt. It was a good thing to, since we managed to catch a marlin big enough to feed all five of us. Which it did. Rather well.

But as soon as the fun was over and sleep was needed, my thoughts wandered again as I rested in my large shell.

The next morning, I woke earlier than usual. I don't even think my sisters were awake yet. Mother and Father were though. They wake earlier than day-break. I knew they would be out getting their breakfast for the day. I probably should have gotten mine, but I wasn't all that hungry after all.

I rose lazily from my shell and exited into the early morning sunlight, being careful as to not wake Luka or Miku. The water was still cold from the previous night, but would eventually heat up as the afternoon came around. I lifted my hand to rub the sleep from my eye, emitting a small yawn. It was definitely earlier than my usual wake up time. But it didn't matter since I was already up.

So...what was an fresh adult mermaid to do in the early morning without an appetite? That was a good question. She could go rudely awaken her elder sisters for a change....Nah. Too easy. I didn't need more excuses for them to harass me.

She could go for a nice, relaxing swim? A little exercise to wake up.

That was actually a pretty good idea. I could even spy a little on the shore. Since I was now an adult I could surface whenever I wanted, right?

As children, our people aren't born with all their organs developed. More specifically the lungs, as humans have. So they must stay beneath the water's surface. Which is probably a good thing, since children would probably draw more attention to themselves. Then, if there are no problems with the development, the lungs complete their development on our 17th birthday and we are able to surface freely. Father used to say it was a useless process, since there was no point in surfacing at all. I however begged to differ.

There were plenty of things to do on the surface...Like human studies...from a distance of course. A safe distance.

What? So being fascinated by a different species means you're not afraid of them? Yeah ok....

I stretched my arms upward, bending my spine and leaning my head back, letting out a soft squeak of a moan. My eyes opened as the light was suddenly blocked from me. High above, on the surface a boat was going by. Looked like a large fishing boat. They couldn't see me at this depth I was positive. Humans had horrible eyesight when it came to the ocean. I kept my eyes on it as it traveled over me, toward the deeper parts of the water. Well that was one thing we had in common. A taste for fish.

I laughed a little as I began to swim closer to shore.

* * *

There was a section of the shore that I'd always wanted to just sit and watch. It was a section of beach in which the water had a large semi-circle of boulders, and rocks blocking that entire section off from the deeper ends of the water. I supposed that meant it was the perfect spot for human children to play and not get into trouble with the larger ocean creatures i.e sharks and the like. But it seemed a lot more young adults preferred to spend their time here. Not a lot of people would be around this time of year, but within a few months or so the traffic of humans in the water would begin again.

My first surface was a bit bumpy. It took a minute or two for me to get just how to switch to breathing using my lungs. But finally I got the hang of it. The air smelled, and tasted, rather good up here. So many smells I'd never even caught before now.

I didn't expect to see anyone on the beach so early, maybe having to wait a while before anyone showed up, but to my surprise there were already a few children playing in the water.

There was one fisherman standing high on one of the large boulders, his fishing rod in hand, and taking small drinks from a brown bottle. In order not to be seen by any of these humans, I had to duck and cover behind several boulders, and even duck under the water a few times as the morning dragged on. It was worth it though. The process of watching the humans only proved to interest me more.

The adults spent most of their time lounging on the sand, simply letting the sun brown (and even redden) their skin. Children played in the water, splashing each other playfully or building small replicas of castles with the sand. The younger adults were a mixture of the two activities. Mostly the females rested on the beach while the males played rather roughly with one another, holding each other under the water or kicking sand in the other's face. Things like that....Boys.

I managed to stay hidden throughout the whole visit, but I nearly screwed up when I heard movement from atop the boulder I was hiding behind. I covered my mouth preventing any noise that would come along with the jump of surprise. That enough caused enough noise. But no one looked down at me. So slowly, I moved again, behind the next boulder and looked up at who it was that had surprised me.

If I'm not mistaken I do believe it was the boy from yesterday at the reef. Back again to jump the fence of boulders and into the sea. He again wore only a pair of shorts and the large tank of air strapped to his back. He really did come prepared for his long trips...

He looked like he was getting ready to jump in, but before he could take the final lunge forward, a sudden shout made him stop so suddenly he nearly fell in anyway. But he steadied himself and looked toward the source of the shout. I moved a bit to look myself.

A girl, who looked about the same age as he did was walking toward him. She had long blonde hair tied into a single ponytail on the left side of her head, and dark blue eyes. She wore one of those dress things in a white colour. I didn't see why humans covered their bodies so much....We didn't.

She stumbled on the boulders, hopping from one to another until she reached the one the boy was on. Then it looked (and sounded) like she was scolding him for something. But he seemed to talk his way out of it, whatever it was. They were laughing together at some joke I couldn't understand.

How I wish I spoke their language. What was it again? Father said we lived near a country called Japan. So they would speak that one language I heard about...um..Portuguese, yeah that's it.

Or maybe it was Norwegian....

Wait...Japan..Japan....Jap-..Japanese? Right that one! That's it. Pff....Norwegian.

It took a while, but finally the girl's conversation with him ended. She looked like she was headed back to shore while he returned his attention to the ocean. He inhaled deeply and reached up to tug his hair from the tail he wore it in, letting the blonde locks fall (as I suspected) to his shoulders. Then he dived casually into the water. I moved again so he wouldn't see my tail while underwater, or any of me in general. I manged to switch back to my normal way of breathing automatically as I sunk under the water again.

The boy didn't seem to notice me at all. Instead he was swimming in the opposite direction.

"So the legs act as two tails...." I muttered, making my observations. I looked behind me at the shore, then back at the boy slowly moving farther away. I bit the inside of my cheek before pushing off the boulder behind me to begin to swim after the boy. As I've said before, he interested me more than ordinary humans. I kept a far enough distance behind him, as to not alert him to my presence. This time he passed over the reef, heading farther out to sea. I wondered just where he thought he was going. There wasn't much beyond this point except the large cliff the led down into the deep, dark trench that was the ocean.

And low and behold that's where we ended up. He dove deeper, getting near the drop off, and peering into the trench. I doubted he could see anything but black down there. Even my sister's and I were too afraid to travel down there. Granted, our cave was located inside the wall of the cliff, but it was rather close to the top. Like _really _close to the top. Like if the boy down there hooked his hands over the side of it and pulled over the edge enough, he could see....right...into it....

...

...

OH JEEZ.

What if he _did _do that?! What if Miku, or Luka, or Mother, or Father were still in there?! He'd see them wouldn't he? Then it'd be all over for us! I needed to get him away from there...somehow.

He was starting to go beyond the edge when an idea hit me. Finding a hiding spot behind a clutch of seaweed, I opened my mouth and started to sing. No words came out, just a simple note. Then another. And another. I looked over my shoulder back at the cliff. I'd definitely caught his attention. He was looking around, jerking his body to face one direction, then another, searching for the source of what he was hearing. My singing wasn't great I'll say, but it was enough. My plan had worked at least. He was beginning to come back in my direction, being able to tell that the singing was coming from this way. He wouldn't be able to see me, but as long as he was searching, anyone at home would be safe. Good thing too since I could see Luka peering up from the cave, having heard my voice.

She gave me a thumbs up before ducking back down. I rolled my eyes. I needed to keep an eye on this guy...

* * *

For days after that I made regular visits to the beach. And every day my boy came back, always taking a swim. Sometimes a long one, sometimes short. Sometimes he would come really early in the morning, and at those times he wouldn't immediately go into the water. Just sit atop one of the boulders and stare out at the water. Sometimes he would sing (so he thought) to himself and I had to admit that his voice was amazing. I loved to just listen, even if I didn't understand the language of the lyrics. I remember thinking that if he wasn't a human, he would definitely be a siren. If there were such a thing as a male siren...

I supposed he struck the hearts of every human girl that laid eyes on him (he was rather handsome I'll admit).

And as promised I kept an eye on him when he went into the water. But as the days passed and as I spent more and more time watching him, I began to doubt the reasons I've told myself for watching him. Soon I was positive I was lying to myself. I didn't need to watch him as closely as I did. I-....I-...I realized I liked him. A lot. I wanted to know more- everything I could about him. But there were only those few short hours he spent here everyday, and even then I was at risk to even let him see me. There was only one way I could get what I wanted...

And that was to lose the tail and get a pair of legs. But how....?

"Shrimp for your thoughts?"

I snapped my head up to see Miku in sitting next to me, with a smile and waving a shrimp in front of my face. I quickly snatched it and bit into it, which caused Miku's smile to widen with a chuckle.

"Jeez, Rin, hungry?"

"A little." I replied, swallowing the bit of food. I really wasn't expecting her to find me out here...then again I _was_ known to be in the reef when nothing else needed doing.

"So watcha thinkin' about?" She asked, leaning back on her hands. I took a bit of her teal hair into my hands and began to play with it. She was more than willing to let me, turning a bit to give me better access.

"Stupid things.." I sighed, combing through the strands with my fingers. I pulled all of it together before separating it all into three pieces.

"What kind of stupid things?" She pressed, "Something bothering you?"

"Well kind of." I admitted, beginning to braid her hair. Despite it floating everywhere, her hair was very easy to manage. I took a breath. "Hey, Miku?"

"Yes?"

"I-...Is there a way for a mermaid to become human?"

She didn't say anything, which I expected. I waited patiently, continuing to braid her hair. It wasn't until I had the last of it almost done that she spoke.

"Why?"

"Just curious." She snorted.

"Curiosity killed the catfish, Rin." She said, but then chuckled. "Maybe you should visit the witch."

"T-the witch?" I echoed. She turned to look at me with a surprised expression.

"You've never heard of The Witch?" She asked. I shook my head.

"She's a sorceress who lives deep down at the bottom of our trench. She makes potions and amulets out of bones and skin of animals...and mermaids." I gulped, "It's said that she's really _ugly_ with sea snakes for hair and these glowing red eyes and long black tentacles." Miku told the description while using her hands to make things more dramatic. It just made me want to hide.

"T-t-t-tentacles?!" I gasped. "Like an octopus?!"

"Uh-huh." Miku nodded. "All gooey and squishy." She made a face.

"Y-you're messing with me again!" I accused. "There's no witch down there!"

"Yeah-huh, is so!" Miku yelled back, furrowing her brows.

"I'm telling Mother you're teasing me again!" I said, floating up from my seat.

"What are you, five?" She replied, smirking.

"I might as well be!" I shouted, not making any sense. But that didn't matter. I needed confirmation on this...witch. I swam home, leaving Miku to laugh at my childishness and do whatever Miku's do during the day. Hanging over the edge of the cliff (so whoever inside the cave would see me upside-down) I peered into my home. Mother was home as I'd hoped, sitting atop a pile of empty oyster shells with a pile of fresh oysters next to her waiting to be eaten. She plucked one from the pile, opened it and ate the meat inside before dropping the shells onto her seat, building it up before she noticed me.

"Hi, Rin," she said with a smile, "would you like to join me?" She gestured to the pile.

"Ok." I mumbled, coming in and placing myself next her on the pile. She handed me an oyster and I took it, feeling snackish after the shrimp Miku had given me. I cracked it open and swallowed what meat was inside before speaking.

"Mother, Miku was teasing me again." I said, looking at her. She laughed and patted my head.

"You're a little old to play tattle-tale aren't you?" She said, eating another oyster and dropping it's shells onto our pile.

"She said there a witch living at the bottom of the trench."

Mother stopped with her oyster and looked at me. "A witch?" I nodded. She dropped the oyster back onto the pile before turning her whole body to face me.

"She's _not _a _witch_, Rin. She's a very powerful sorceress, but she's not a witch." She said sternly. My eyes widened.

"SO SHE REALLY IS DOWN THERE?!!" I screamed, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Shhh. Calm down, it's not what you think." Mother said, holding my face in both her hands. I could feel the fins on her wrist brushing against my cheeks. Her face softened as she looked at me. Slowly she began to run her fingers through my hair while still holding my cheek with the other hand. "If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't even be here right now."

"W-what do you mean, Mother?" I asked. She sighed, and pulled me against her. I allowed it, wrapping my arms around her waist. She cradled me against her chest, still petting my long, blonde locks. When she finally opened her mouth she spoke against the top of my head.

"I'm not able to produce eggs on my own." She said.

"You're not?" I asked, a bit shocked. She shook her head.

"Your Father was happy enough with me that he said we didn't need to have children, but I wanted one of my own. I knew he did too. So..I went to the Sorceress for assistance." She said, gently.

"And she helped you?" I asked, skeptically.

"Mhm.....Back then I had beautiful, long hair. So as the price for the drink that would aid me, I chopped it off and gave it to her."

"It that why your hair was so short?"

"Mhm."

"Did the potion help?" I was beginning to get excited.

"Sure did. Thanks to her, I was finally able to produce an egg. It was lain and fertilized on the same night....Then soon your sister was born....Then two years later we went back for the same reasons. Only this time your Father had to chip in his hair as well....But then we got you and it all proved to be worth it." She tightened her hold on me a little, but it didn't bother me as I was resting comfortably against her chest.

"So...she's a good wit-...I mean Sorceress?"

"Right...Now what brought about the talk of witches?" She asked, pulling back to look at me. I smiled softly.

"Nothing...Just mindless teasing from Miku." She chuckled and ruffled my hair again. "Mother, is it true that she has....t-t-tentacles?" I asked, with a shudder. She laughed again and shook her head.

"Oh, no. No no no no. She's a very beautiful maid. People poke their fun at her because she's so reserved. She almost never leaves her home."

"Which is at the bottom of the trench?"

"Right. She was actually banished there..." Mother sounded a bit sad.

"Banished?"

"Sorcery is looked down upon by the Queen..." She said, her voice full of amusement.

"The Queen? Doesn't she live all the way in Atlantis?" I asked.

"Yes, which is why she sends those who practice magic far away from her. She's afraid they'll curse her or something.....Coward..." Mother always loved to talk down the Queen. She thought the Queen was ruling our people all wrong. I had to agree noting how everyday we were seeing less and less numbers of our people. But I really wasn't one to dabble in politics. I was usually off thinking about clown fish and sunshine or something....

"I never thought magic was real...." I muttered.

"Not many do. But I've always had faith in it." Mother said. She picked up another oyster and pulled it open. "Oh hey, look! A pearl!"

* * *

**An- Oh hey, look it's the end of the chapter. **

**xD**

**Long enough for ya? D= **

**Yeah so I didn't want to do the whole magic potion turns her into a human thing but I can't think of anything really clever that would be better. But fret not, Rin's not giving her voice to the witch or anything.... -_-**


	4. The Sea Witch

**An- Holy shizah. This chapter is over 5,000 words =D**

**I think writing this story is helping me with my writing skillz.**

**Anyway**

**IMPORTANT NOTE**********

**THE WORDS WRITTEN IN BOLD WHILE IN RIN'S POV WILL BE WORDS THAT SHE DOESN'T YET UNDERSTAND. Because she doesn't speak Japanese. Or Norwegian..Heheh.  
**

**

* * *

**I pondered over the information I now knew for a while. There were two possible events that could occur from having this knowledge. One: I ignore it, and go about my life as usual...Or two: I take a risk and see what the witch could do for me. If Mother was telling the truth (why would she lie to me anyway?) than there was a good chance this person would be able to give me what I wanted. At a price of course. Mother had had to give up her hair...I had plenty to give so I wasn't worried about the price. If she could make me a human, I'd be able to freely interact with the boy I'd become so infatuated with without putting myself, or my family in danger.

But then again, if I did do this, there would be a chance I could never see my family again. I loved them all very much. Even Miku....I didn't know if I would be able to go on my own without them. Especially to a place that not even Mother and Father have ventured. Above land. I had no idea at all what dangers waited for me above the gentle waves of my ocean. Then there was the question of simple necessities. What would I eat? Where would I live? How could I communicate with people who didn't speak my language or the other way around?

I guess that's the risk part of it all. Both possible routes had their good points and their bad points. But...I feel a little bad in saying I wanted so desperately to take the second path. With that want alone I knew which path I would end up taking. It was only the choice of whether or not to tell any of my family where I would be going. None of them I'm sure would approve. Father especially. I would probably be forbidden from seeing the witch and watched constantly......

So if I was going to do this, it needed to be a secret.

And for that very reason is why I was just laying there in my shell, listening to the soft swishing of the water as I waited. I needed to make sure that no one was awake to hear or see me leave the cave in the middle of the night. That, without a doubt, would cause suspicions.

After what felt like an eternity, I rose from my shell and slowly made my way out of the cave, trying my hardest not to make any noise what-so-ever. It seemed to work seeing as no one tackled me from behind.

Once safely outside I took a deep breath, tucking my hair behind my ear. I exhaled heavily as I looked up. It looked like it was storming above water. I could hear the muffled thunder and see the ripples of water hitting water. Then every so often the water around me would be lit up with the flashes of light in the sky. Those brief moments of light always made me realize just how dark it really was when it faded. I was always the sleeper...Always sleeping the whole night away, so I'd never been outside the cave at night time. It was soothing and terrifying all at the same time. The storm didn't make it any better I'm afraid.

I took another deep breath as I turned my gaze from up, to down. Into the trench. It was pitch black down there. Like a whole school of squid had come by and inked simultaneously.

...

That's a sickening thought. Way to go, Rin.

Ok. I just had to remember..My eyes _will_ adjust to the darkness...I just had to give it time....While going into the deep...dark....t-trench.

ARGH why did the stupid witch have to live down there anyway!? It just _had_ to be the stupid trench....In the dark.

Get ahold of yourself, Rin. You're an adult now. Your Mother had the guts to do this, now you have to live up to that! (Yes well Mother did have the option of doing this during the day....) Well you don't have that option so just go with it!

After a few more minutes, my eyes were finally adjusting. So with a final deep breath I tilted my body so my stomach rested against the wall of the trench. If I was going down there, I was going to just crawl along the wall all the way to where I needed to go...It wasn't just the dark I was afraid of. It was the creatures that awaited me down there. I paid attention to the fishermen who returned from the sea with those _huge_ and ugly fish. I definitely didn't want to meet up with one of them.

So I began to swim down. Slowly, to let my eyes adjust gradually to the decreasing amount of light. The seemed to work since as I traveled I could make out large objects..few of them swimming. But as I traveled deeper it got quite easy to tell where my fellow ocean dwellers were, since they glowed. Seriously. They glowed this bright white colour. Some having only a little tiny light and some having their whole bodies glow! Whenever I'd see one of those lights coming I'd stay perfectly still, afraid of what the light would reveal the creature to look like. But none got even that close. Just swam away in the opposite direction.

My heart was beating wildly in my chest, my mind racing with horrible images of frightening creatures and of the witch herself. Could Miku really have exaggerated the looks of the witch, or was Mother simply trying to calm me by telling me otherwise? Either way I would find out soon. A few times I thought about just turning back, but then I would think of my boy, and how I wanted at least to talk to him once. To at least know his name. That kept me going. Even after I placed my hand on the wall of the trench and felt something slither out from beneath it. I kept going.

Soon I began to wonder if the trench even had an end at all. It seemed bottomless. As if I'd crawl forever. Maybe I have. Maybe I'd gone so far down into the trench that it was eternally black and high above the sun had risen. It definitely felt like the sun barely touched this place. So cold....

I was getting to that point again where I just wanted to give up, when suddenly I heard a sound. Near to me. Perhaps below me. Singing it sounded like. Not really lyrical singing; simple up-beat humming followed with chuckles and murmurs. I tore my eyes from the abyss in front of me (I had been looking out for more of those glowing creepers) and instead looked down. Not too far below I could see a dim light coming from a cavern in the trench's wall. My heart beat picked up again as I pushed off from the wall and instead swam down, as fast as I could until I was right above the mouth of the cavern. Slowly, I peeked in.

Inside it wasn't very big. In the center of the space was a strange glowing coral, supporting a large rounded shell. Smaller than the one that served as my bed, but much deeper. There seemed to be some silver substance swirling around inside it. Floating around the light source were two of those glowing fish. But with the extra light around I could see what they're true visage was. Large white eyes and long, pointed teeth. Spiny and splotched with dark colours*...Hideous. Terrifying even. From inside I could still hear that low mumbling of someone talking to themselves but I saw no one inside. I swallowed, knowing what I needed to do.

Cautiously I entered the small chamber, keeping my eyes on the two monster fish, who in turn kept their eyes on me. I think. Aren't fish at this depth supposed to be blind? Now that I was inside I could see that the space wasn't as cramped as I had thought. A tunnel had been made moving upward, the curved walls acting as shelves stocked with various items from pieces of wood and cloth to what looked like bottles of small fish and bits of sea plants. I swallowed again. High above I could see the slightest movement. That was where that humming and mumbling was coming from.

"H-hello?" I called out, my voice echoing rather ominously. Immediately the voice stopped, I could see the dark mass moving, maybe looking down at me.

"You lost, sweet heart?"

I jumped with a squeak, as that voice had come from right behind me. Jerking around I found I had been mistaken. No one was there. I looked back up into the column. Whoever was up there was gone too.

"You're a jumpy one, aren't you?" I looked back down and jumped again. A maid, not even two feet away from me, having a small smirk on her face. Well I thought she was. I was too afraid to look down and check for tentacles. Ugh.

"How did-? What the-?" I stumbled looking back and forth from the maid and the spot she had been not two seconds ago.

"Forgive my sneaky nature." She chuckled, taking her place behind the strange glowing coral. She looked, thoughtfully into the contents of the shell and then held out her hand. Instantly one of the monster fish darted to one of the high shelves and maneuvered it's tail to knock a jar from high above. It landed accurately into her waiting palm. I took the time while she added the contents of the jar (whatever it was. It looked gooey) to examine her. She had extremely long, silver locks, and very white skin. Her eyes were indeed a deep red colour as Miku had said, but they held no evil in them. Maybe a bit serious, but no bad intentions. She wasn't exactly a mermaid as I had hoped, but no tentacles. Instead her tail resembled more of a sea horse, curled as their tails were but black and very spiny. It was also dotted with those weird lights the other deep sea creatures owned. She was really very beautiful, maybe being in her early twenties....

"U-um..are you the Sorceress?" I asked, cautiously. She handed the jar of that strange gooey stuff out to her monster fish which took it into his sharp mouth and brought it back to the correct shelf. She chuckled a bit.

"Is that what they're calling me now?" She mumbled, before turning her sharp eyes in my direction. "Yes, I suppose so...You may call me Haku, however. What can I do for you?" She gave me something that was a half smile, half smirk.

"I need your help."

"Oh, how very surprising..." Haku said, her voice drizzled in sarcasm. "And just _why_ should I help someone who so rudely enters my home without even a knock?" As she spoke she began to send her pets to retrieve more and more jars, dumping or sprinkling the contents into the shell.

"You helped my mother..." With that she looked up from the (now blueish) contents of the shell.

"Your mother?" She echoed. Her eyes tilted upward as if daydreaming. "Your mother....Your mother....Oh, Meiko, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"Meiko is a good hearted woman..." She mumbled, tossing an empty jar over her shoulder. "What exactly is it that you're looking for, girl?"

"My _name_ is Rin....a-and I wanted to know if there was some way I could...become human?" With my request her eyes narrowed. Not in an angry sort of way. More curious than anything.

"Human? Pft. Yeah, I can help you with that....for a price." She placed her hands on her hips, and tilted her head to the side a little. I reached behind me, grabbing my hair and pulling it over my shoulder.

"Mother told me you took hair as a price. Mine is not all that long..maybe to my waist but-"

"Oh no no." she interrupted. I was only a little surprised to hear her voice coming from behind me. I felt her hands slowly comb through my hair, bringing it back behind me. "No, I think it would be a sin to cut such beautiful locks, and we don't want me going to hell now do we?" She said lightly, putting an arm around my shoulder as if we were old friends. I only felt slightly uncomfortable.

"I wouldn't want to take something so gorgeous from my own offspring now would I?" She smiled/smirked down at me. I furrowed my brows.

"I'm not your daughter."

"Ah, but wasn't it _my_ potion that helped with your birth? I'd say that gives me a bit of a parental status."

"Well...um...Haku, what _do_ you want?" I asked. She let out a long 'hm' as she drew her arm from around me. In an instant she no longer was beside me. Instead she was lying on her stomach on a flat rock across the room, facing me with her face propped in her hands. I waited patiently as she studied me, thinking, while avoiding contact with the two of her monster fish. Finally she lifted her finger and motioned for me to come closer. I did so, cautiously. Once in front of her, the witch lifted my left hand in her own, pulling it toward herself.

"This." She said simply, running her finger over the bracelet of pearls around my wrist.

"My bracelet?" I said, gently taking my hand back. I held my wrist in my hand, looking at the jewelry. "But it was a birthday present."

"It must be very important to you then..." She eyed me. I nodded. "Well...if you don't want to part with it, I'm afraid I can't help you, Rin."

"No, c'mon that's not fair! Look I'll give you my hair! I'll chop it all off, right now!"

"But I've already told you...I don't _want_ your hair."

Damnit...I bit down on my bottom lip, looking between Haku and my wrist. I thought of my boy; how desperately I wanted to meet him. I thought of my family; how hard they'd worked to make this for me.

"There's _nothing_ else that you want? Nothing at all?" Slowly, the witch shook her head, her hair moving like small waves behind her. I sighed heavily before slipping the pearls off my wrist.

"Take them then." I muttered, tossing them to her. With one hand she snatched them out of the air, and smiled. She clicked her tongue and one of her pets came forward and took the pearls, taking them off somewhere in the high shelves.

"Well alright then." Haku whispered, lifting herself off the stone and rubbing her hands together. "Wait here." She instructs, disappearing high into the hollow column once more. I obeyed, taking a seat upon the stone she had rested on. I listened as Haku mumbled to herself, rummaging through the shelves and tossing useless jars over her shoulders. Her monster fish stuck behind her, catching the jars and placing them back on the shelves. I wondered how long it had taken her to train them to do that...or if she had them under some sort of spell.

I waited patiently silently pondering if this solution would even work. Mother said that it had worked for her...twice even. But what if it didn't work for me? Then what? Then what if it _did_ work? What would I do then? I had no idea how to do anything above water.....

"Alright...here it is." I looked up as Haku floated back down. In her hands was a small box. It looked like one of the many jewelry boxes Miku found in her scavenges. It was a deep blue with gold designs, swirls and wavy lines. A large red stone was set in the center of the lid, and the lock was silver. It wasn't locked however, as the witch pulled open the lid and held it out to me. I held the box firmly with both hands and pulled it to me. Inside were two items. A little glass vial**, and a necklace with a small, clear glass ball as a pendant. Inside the vial was a light blue liquid, that seemed to glow inside the glass. I looked questioningly back up at the witch.

"This," she said, taking the vial into her hand, "is the drink that will help you. You drink this and you'll lose that pretty yellow tail of yours faster than you can say 'clown fish.'"

"Are you sure? I mean...has anyone else asked you for this kind of potion?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, yeah. Only one but it worked fine on him...Trust me."

"Why should I?" I asked. My voice wasn't bitter, only curious. She sighed.

"I've been called a lot of things in my life, Rin. A whole lot of things.....But the one thing I've never been called is a liar. A liar _or _a cheat. If I thought this was dangerous for you, I would've never given to you."

For some reason...I believed her. Perhaps because Mother trusted her....

"So, what is this for?" I asked, holding up the necklace.

"Ah, that...Well that is quite important to this sort of process," She took the necklace into her hands and held the glass ball out toward me, "You see when you make this sort of change, the essence of you that has the tail will need to go somewhere. So, when you drink the potion and get your legs, a little of yourself will go into this ball. Don't worry not your whole being...just your _true_ self...You know...the one with the tail." She said quickly, noticing how my eyebrows were raising higher.

"In simpler terms, your tail goes in here, and only your tail. Nothing else will be effected, only your appearance." She placed the necklace back inside the box along with the vial and shut it. "After you take the potion, keep that glass ball close to you. Don't _ever_ break it unintentionally. If it breaks, the essence will be released and go back to you. You'll get your tail back. It's very risky to do it this way, but it's the only way that if you _want_ to return to the ocean, you can by simply smashing the glass." She explained.

"So...don't let it break..." I whispered to no one in general.

"Right....Any questions?"

"No...Thank you. Very much."

"Yeah, yeah. Now do you know your way home? My home is very far away from yours...."

"Yes, I know...so far down.." I sighed.

"No...I mean my little column here is very far east from your cave....Not just a long drop.." Haku said, lifting one of her brows.

"W-what?! But I swam straight down!" I exclaimed, looking up at her. She shrugged.

"Current's a bitch, isn't it?" She chuckled, and snapped her fingers. One of her monster fish swam toward us. "Lucian here will lead you home." My eyes widened. "Oh, don't worry....He's a big baby..." She said, patting the fish. I gulped.

* * *

The fish knew it's way around the trench pretty well. It seemed to know exactly where our destination was to be. It was easy to follow it, seeing it had that large glowing lantern coming out of its forehead. In the dark it was easier to pretend it _didn't_ look extremely hideous, so that was a plus.

_Lucian_ led me far enough to wear a bit of light was shining through. At that point he turned to me, stared for a moment, then began his way back down into the darkness. Creepy little thing...From there it was simple enough to find my way back home. As I neared the top of the trench I found that the sun had risen in my absence. Well..more like it was in the process of rising. Early morning. Very early. I'd stayed up all night. But I didn't feel tired. More or less I felt anxious.

I had what I wanted. A way to the surface. A way to safely study what fascinated me so. To even _become_ one myself. I was already shaking with excitement.

When I reached home I hesitated a little. I was going to miss my family terribly, but I had already made the bargain. I wasn't going to take it back now. So I bid a silent farewell to them and then turned to leave. Until...

"Where are you going, Rin?"

"Miku?" I questioned, turning back around. She was floating in the mouth of the cave. She looked like she'd been awake for a while.

"Where are you going?" She asked again. "Where have you_ been?_"

"Been?" I echoed, stupidly.

"Yes, _been. Where have you been?!"_

"I- I was just-"

"What's in that box?" She asked, her tone becoming accusing as she floated toward me. I held the box tightly against my chest, afraid she might try and snatch it from me.

"Nothing." I lied. She stared at me silently for a moment.

"Rin, please tell me you didn't go where I think you went." She mumbled.

"Where do you think I went, Miku?" I returned. She sighed.

"You went to her, didn't you? The Witch?" She asked, quietly. I looked down, not able to look at her. "You _did_, didn't you!?"

"Shhh. You're going to wake up everyone." I said, waving my hand frantically.

"Rin...I was just messing with you when I told you about her. What are you thinking? You can't just decide to be human." She was angry now, not yelling but having wrath coating her usual sweet voice. "Why do you want to become one of those monsters anyway? Oh right...because you're so _infatuated_ with them."

"They're not monsters! Well...not all of them at least."

"Yeah tell that to my parents...Oh wait, you can't. Because _they_ killed them!"

"Miku-"

"Shutup, Rin. I can't _believe_ you! You're insane. You are so _selfish_, Rin. You don't care about _anyone_ but yourself, and what _you_ want. So go on and become one of those....those...._things_ that you love so much. You don't even care about _us-!"_ Her voice stopped with the audible smack. With a soft gasp she cupped her cheek which I imagine was very sore. I drew my hand back, still feeling the tingle brought on by slapping contact. I could feel my face heated by anger, and tears threatening my eyes.

"Don't make assumptions about me Miku. You may be my sister, and I _do_ love you, but don't you _ever_ say that I don't care about you all. I do a lot for this family, and I'm finally doing what _I_ want to do. So you just be quiet...." My voice shook as I said these words. Miku simply stared at me, hand pressed to her cheek. I huffed and turned away. "And it'd be better to wait until later to tell Mother and Father where I've gone. Tell them I love them. Luka too." With that I took off toward shore, clutching my box to my chest.

* * *

I went to the usual surface spot. The beach circled with boulders. As I expected, there weren't any humans around this early.

The surfacing was easy. This I've become used to over time with my visits. The hard part was pulling myself onto the beach. I never thought about how _heavy_ it would be up here. My tail was the heaviest part of me, and it took a while to get myself onto the sand. But I did it. The sand felt cool and stuck to my skin as I touched it. My hair hung in my face and on my body instead of floating around it. I tucked the strands behind my ears, trying to catch my breath from the work of pulling myself ashore. I sat myself on the ground, the small waves coming in surrounding my body with it's foam and then returning to the sea. I threw open the box and snatched the necklace out, throwing it around my neck, before grabbing the vial and pulling the top out of it.

My body was shaking again. Maybe from the excitement, or maybe from the cold air hitting my wet skin. So cold up here...I threw my head back and brought the vile to my lips, swallowing the blue liquid in one gulp. I put the vile back in the box and shut it.

A moment passed...then another.

"Come on....Come on..." I pleaded with the medicine that was making it's way through my systems. I was about ready to give up when I felt a twitching sensation in my stomach. Then another. I doubled over with a loud groan as the twitches become throbbing. The throbbing became stabbings. The sharp pains spread quickly throughout my entire being. I turned to lay on my side, my tail curling into a fetal posture as I gasped and grunted in pain. My head throbbed, my body felt like it was being stabbed. My tail was on _fire_. My eyes were shut tight, my hands becoming fists and my teeth grinding together. Oh, the pain! I don't wish this sort of pain on _anyone_.

Then....as quickly as it came it stopped. I can't say exactly when it stopped, for at some point I had blacked out from the pain. Not long, maybe a moment...or two...or four. But I do know that when I woke up, I was in no more pain. Actually I felt rather peaceful. I took several deep breaths, letting the sea foam wash over my face, before sitting myself up. I looked down at the glass ball on the necklace. It was no longer clear. Instead it was filled with a yellowish smoke that slowly swirled around its confines, as if dancing. My essence.... I sighed and lifted one hand to my head. It was still throbbing a little. My body was shivering from the cold. There was a strange taste in my mouth(I think I was bleeding there or something...). My legs felt a little sore-......My legs?..My...legs....My legs!

I smiled widely as I looked down at my lower body. Legs as promised instead of my tail. I ran my hands over each of them, feeling how smooth they were. No scales...no slick feel to them. Just skin. Slender feet. Toes buried in the sand. With a giggle I wiggled them a bit. I looked at my wrists. No fins. Felt my sides; no more gills. Just lungs now. I was indeed human.

Testingly, I bent the knee of my left leg, bringing it slowly to my chest. Then followed with the right. With another happy giggle, I hugged my knees closing my eyes contently. I stayed that way for a long moment. That is until I heard voices in the distance. I looked up, tucking my hair behind my ear again to see two humans coming in my direction. They didn't seem to notice me yet. One was a girl, with long blonde hair and wearing a white swimsuit. The other a boy with short blonde locks tied in a high tail, wearing only a pair of shorts.

My boy.

Oh no! Wait! I wasn't ready yet!

But I simply sat. Struck with fear. More so of the girl than my boy. I knew he wouldn't hurt me....

**"-and so I was like 'hey, bitch, that's my cell phone.'"** The girl was saying to him as they drew closer. What's a _cell phone? _What was anything that she just said?

**"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure that no one wants your cell phone bills that bad N-" **My boy was saying something, but stopped as soon as he noticed me.

I think my heart stopped....

* * *

***= Dragon fish. They scare the shit out of me for some reason....**

****= I totally felt like putting (A little glass vile? A little glass vile!)...Ah...Zydrate Anatomy for the win. It's a song from Repo: The Genetic Opera. You should watch it. Or at least listen to Zydrate Anatomy.**

* * *

**An- Alrighty. Now we're getting somewhere :3**

**Len-Hey I actually got a line in this chapter  
Tsuki- Shutup Len...You'll get a lot more lines in the next chapter so shut your banana hole...  
Len- Oh, will I really? -sarcasm-  
Rin- And then I get to do nothing because I don't understand what you're all saying D=  
Len- HOLY SHIT A MERMAID -glomp Rin-  
Tsuki- .____.;  
**

**....I wanted to try one of those....  
Anyway yeah...still getting inspiration for this story..I haven't forgotten about my other stuff but I just get the chapters for this one done quicker...**

**Reviews are always nice :3 -shot-  
**


	5. The Meeting

**Len POV**

_Beep beep... Beep beep...Beep beep...Beep beep._

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Shut the hell up..." I grumbled into my pillow. More like to what was under my pillow. My wristwatch, which was making that annoying beeping sound. I slid my hand under the pillow and felt around a bit until I found the off button. The room filled with silence then, except for the sound of the waves from the ocean drifting in from my open window. I'd much rather be woken up by that then this stupid wrist watch. But I had no choice seeing as I couldn't set my alarm clock. The storm last night had knocked the power out.

With a sigh I lifted my face from the comfortable pillow and looked at my nightstand through sleep filled eyes. The digital clock was still black. I rolled onto my back and looked at the ceiling fan. It didn't move. Power was still out....Great.

With a groan I pulled myself into a sitting position, pushing my blankets off of me. I pulled my watch out from under the pillow and stared at the face. 6:34am. Just as I had set it. Good thing I was a morning person...Usually I'd wake up a little later but today I wanted to get to the beach before all the tourists...But with my guest accompanying me it would take at least an hour to get out the door.

I set the watch on my nightstand and proceeded to stretch in every possible manner. Kicked the blankets off, got out of bed, and went out into the living room. It was a large room with mahogany wood flooring and matching wall paneling. Three ceiling fans hung from the white ceiling, the tiles of the ceiling designed with flowers and leaves. A kitchen was connected to the room, dissected by a small bar with stools drilled to the floor. In the living room half, several paintings of different scenery hung on the wall. A plasma television was embedded into it. A large couch with two recliners on either side sat in front of it on the opposite wall near the front door.

And there sleeping on said couch was none other than my buddy, Hatsune Mikuo. He was sprawled out everywhere, the blankets hanging off him at every direction he placed his limbs. A bit of drool was coming out of his mouth. I snorted a bit at the sight. But I passed him, instead heading into the hallway next to the kitchen. From there I went into a room on the left, the door being wide open. The guest room. In here was another of my sleeping friends, except she didn't sleep like the idiot in the living room. More like me: on her stomach with her face pressed into the pillow.

I silently approached her bedside and tapped her on the shoulder. She huffed but didn't seem to wake.

"Neru..." I tried again. This time she grumbled a bit, but still didn't wake up. I sighed, frustrated. So I tried shaking her a little this time.

"Neru..It's time to get up." I said, louder this time.

"What time is it?" She grumbled, sleepily into the pillow.

"About 6:35....Give or take."

"6:35?!" She exclaimed, lifting her face from the pillow to look up at me. She looked slightly annoyed. "Why wake me up _now_?"

"You promised you'd go to the beach with me today..." I reminded her, giving her a puppy-dog look. She flushed a little with a sigh.

"I thought you meant later..." She groaned in annoyance.

"Well I didn't."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...?"

"Ugh....fine...Just give me a few minutes." She said finally. I smiled victoriously as I waltzed out of the room. I ventured back into my own room, once again ignoring the sleeping moron on the couch. As I passed I heard him mutter something like 'Hey, baby, what's _your_ favorite game show?' in his sleep.

...Idiot.

I closed the door to my room, and changed into my usual swim shorts. Then I went into my connected bathroom to brush my teeth, and then my hair before pulling it into my signature ponytail. I didn't think it made me look girly...Actually I think having longer hair than the rest of the guys made me more attractive....Yet I still didn't have a girlfriend. Facebowl.

"Len-kun! Are you ready yet?!" I heard Neru call through my door.

"Yeah! I'm coming!" I called back, exiting my bathroom and then my room entirely. When I opened the door I found Neru watching Mikuo on the couch with a puzzled expression. The tealette had managed to maneuver himself so that he was upside down on the couch, with his legs sticking up against the back of the couch. His blanket and pillow were now forgotten on the floor. Neru looked up as I took a spot next to her.

"He just said he'd like to see a movie with me and then _not watch_ the movie..." She said, pointing at him. I snorted, closing my eyes as I laughed.

"I don't think he meant _you_ directly, Neru..." I told her with a smile. She sighed, and placed her hand to her forehead.

"Shouldn't we wake him up too?"

"Nah, if we take him with us, he'll just hit on the girls the whole time..."

"...C-can we wake him up anyway?" She asked with a smirk.

"You can if you want.....You look nice..." I said, noticing what she'd thrown on. A nice pale-purple bikini with ruffles around the waist band of the bottoms. It fit her rather well. She'd left her golden hair down, the tips just reaching past her knees. She looked at me, blushed, then hit me in the shoulder.

"Stop staring..." She muttered.

"I'm a man...what else do you expect?" I asked with a chuckle.

"This is why sometimes it's impossible to hang out with you and playboy here." She said, motioning towards Mikuo. I shrugged.

"Well maybe you should hang out with some girls..."

"Girls annoy me...." She said bitterly.

"And this is why people think you're a lesbian..."

"_I'm not a lesbian!"_ She said quickly, looking at me with an annoyed expression. I held up my hands defensively.

"I know! I know! I'm just saying!" I reminded her. She continued to give me that look of wrath for a moment before flicking me in the forehead.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, "What was _that_ for?!"

"For being a typical boy...Now come on, I didn't wake up early for nothing." Neru grabbed my arm and pulled me along towards the door. She stopped and released me only to pick up the bag she had packed with beach essentials the night before, waiting next to the door.

"Oh and before I forget..." She mumbled picking up a folded towel from the bag. She slung in onto her shoulder before re-approaching Mikuo. With one swift motion she slapped the towel against his face, waking him instantly.

"Wake up, you idiot!"

"Huh- what? What?....Did you hit me with a _towel-_? Woah....You look...different..." He said, half asleep, looking up at her from his upside down position. Neru rolled her eyes, stuffing the towel back into the bag.

"Len-kun and I are going to the beach. It's _your_ turn to make breakfast so have it ready by the time we get back...And no negi!" She ordered, coming back to the door. I laughed at Mikuo's expense as I held the door open for her. I closed the front door behind me, not bothering to lock it.

"Slave-driver much?" I asked. Neru smirked at me and cracked an invisible whip.

"Someone's gotta keep him in line." She said. I chuckled a bit.

"It's really cold in the morning, isn't it?" She mumbled, beginning down the steps of the porch. I followed her, stuffing my hands into my pockets. From here it was the short path from the porch steps to the front gate of my house, then down the sandy path leading right the waters edge. My house was located right on the edge of the water; anyone from the beach could see it over the high amount of beach grass and sand mounds. My father had bought this place, thinking it'd make me happy. Which it did since I loved the ocean...But it really felt like he'd bought it for _me_ instead of _us_ since he was almost never home.

I'd thought that when I'd asked if Neru and Mikuo could stay with us for the summer that he would at least be the proper adult and stay home once in a while but oh no. Duty calls. _Someone_ needed to pay for the expensive beach house. I mean _come on_. What responsible adult leaves two teenage boys and a _girl_ alone in the same house for days on end? For all he knew we could be doing some very naughty things in there....

We weren't! But we could if we wanted to. But we definitely weren't!

"A little bit," I replied, holding open the iron gate for her, "But it'll warm up in a little bit...Once the sun rises a little more." I gazed out over the water (looking down only to prevent any stumbling as we traveled over the sand and grass), at the pink and yellow sky slowly becoming blue as the sun attempted to rise. As we reached the shore, I was happy to find we were the first ones here, as I'd wanted. It was so much more fun to look and listen to the water out here with no little kids screaming in your ears.

The only sound that distracted me from the water was Neru, but she was different from a screaming little kid...She actually had interesting things to say.

Neru and I had been friends since the fourth grade. When she pushed me off the swing and then mocked me by playing the 'copycat' when I had tried to tell her off for it. We'd both been brought to the principal's office after I had finally just tackled her and started a fight. She'd gotten in some pretty good hits on me before the teachers pulled us apart but I have to say that overall I won....We'd been best friends ever since.

"And so I look back behind me, and there's Teto with my cell phone being all nosy and stuff, looking through my text messages." She was saying, as we walked down the shoreline.

"Uh-huh." I replied, imagining what could possibly go next in this story.

"And so I was like 'Hey, bitch, that's _my_ cell phone." She said, jamming her thumb to her chest.

"Yeah yeah, like anyone wants to steal your phone and all your bills, N-" My voice caught in my throat as my eyes noticed something on the beach. Or rather someone. A girl that looked maybe around my age. Her honey blonde hair was damp and had a bit of seaweed in it. She stared back at me with simply beautiful blue eyes. She rather cute actually....And- and...na-....ked.....Hello....

"What are you-" Neru mumbled, turning her attention to where my attention was being held. Then she slapped me in the back of the head.

"Len, stop looking you _perv!_" She said, harshly turning me around.

"S-s-sorry!" I said, my face heating up as I realized just what I had been doing. I couldn't see anything since I was facing the opposite direction, but I heard a small grunt and the sound of sand being moved. I think the girl was trying to run and hide, but then I heard a gasp and a loud 'thump' which could only mean she tripped and fell. Neru left my side to approach her.

"Hey are you alright?" I heard her ask. There came no response from the other girl.

"Hey, Len- you can turn around now- I think she's bleeding." I took a small peek over my shoulder. Neru had the girl wrapped in one of our longer beach towels, sitting on the sandy ground with Neru kneeling beside her. I sighed and turned fully back around.

"Hey, are you ok? Can you hear me?" Neru was asking her, but all she got in response was a glassy-eyed look. It was then that I noticed the bit of blood running from the corner of her mouth. She didn't really seem to notice it herself. The girl pulled the towel tighter around herself, leaning away from Neru a bit.

"Maybe she doesn't speak Japanese...?" I offered. The girl definitely looked like she could hear everything we said. Just couldn't understand us.

"Do. You. Un-der-stand Ja-pa-nese?" Neru asked her, dragging out each syllable. No response. Just a confused stare.

"Neru, saying things that way never work." I said. She gave me a glare.

"Well anyway, she's obviously hurt. We should call someone..."

"We can't. The power is still out, and your phone is still dead, isn't it?"

"Yeah...Well then at least let's take her back to the house."

"O-ok. Sure..." I agreed. We couldn't just _leave _her there after all. Neru then attempted to help the girl up, but she resisted, tugging away from her. She scooted away, making small dents in the sand. Neru sighed, obviously getting frustrated.

"Wanna help me out here?" She asked, rhetorically. I bit my lip, doubting that my efforts would be any different from her's but I might as well try anyway. The girl watched me as I slowly drew closer to her, then knelt beside her so we were at eye level with each other. I stared at her....She stared back. I was having a mini staring contest here. I would have won if she hadn't have suddenly raised her eyebrows at me, doing it so innocently as if to ask me what exactly was I looking at. It made me crack a smile with a soft chuckle.

"Alright, listen," I said gently, "We're not going to hurt you, alright? We're just trying to help you. You can trust us, ok?" Even though I knew she didn't understand a word of what I had said, I felt like maybe just the gentle talking would relax her a little bit. I held out my hand to her, to help her off the ground, and without breaking her gaze from me she placed her own hand into mine. I stood up then, taking her up with me. She stumbled a bit as she stood, but I helped her keep her balance.

As we began back to the house, Neru nearly tripped over something on the ground. She managed to catch herself however, uttering a small curse word. Leaning down, I picked up the object. It looked like a soaked jewelry box. The inside sounded like it was full of water. I held it to the girl on my arm.

"Is this yours?" I asked. She looked at me, then the box before taking it and hugging it against her chest...That I totally wasn't looking at.....

* * *

"The couch." Neru instructed, shutting the door.

"Right." I mumbled leading the girl to said furniture and letting her sit.

"I'll get some clothes for her...." Neru said, disappearing into her room. From the kitchen, Mikuo leaned against the bar, staring into the living room with a puzzled expression.

"What's going on? That wasn't very long....Hey, who's the girl? Is she _naked?_ Damn, Len, you work _fast."_

"Shutup, Mikuo." I said, blushing a bit and scowling. "We found her this way on the beach...Wet a rag and bring it over here please..." Mikuo sighed, but did as I asked. He shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans and handed me a blue, damp rag. I took it from him, and used it to wipe away the blood from the girl's face.

"So you just found a cute, naked girl on the beach?" Mikuo asked, sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch. I sighed.

"Yeah...She looked hurt so we brought her back here. She doesn't seem to speak any Japanese....Hey, open your mouth, I gotta see where the blood's coming from." I told the girl. She simply blinked a few times, looking clueless.

"You sure she's not just deaf?" Mikuo asked.

"Nah, I think she can hear us...Just doesn't know how to communicate with us." I replied. At that point Neru re-entered the room, carrying a white, long sleeved blouse that buttoned, and one of the pairs of boxers she used as sleep-wear in black. I looked back at the girl and in a very stern voice told her not to resist Neru this time. Both Mikuo and I had to turn around so Neru could help her dress. I was the one who kept having to force Mikuo's head back from turning around. After a long moment we were allowed to look again. The girl was studying the clothes that had been put on her, holding out her arms and tugging at the cloth. It looked a little big on her, but it would have to do.

"So how do we...you know, talk to her if she can't understand us?" The tealette asked, scratching his head.

"I dunno.." I shrugged.

"I'm going to go see if the power's back on yet..." Neru mumbled, turning on her heel and entering the kitchen, where a phone waited for her on the wall. The girl gave a long sigh and suddenly let herself drop to her knees. She closed her eyes, still playing with the cloth of the blouse. I shrugged again and sat cross-legged in front of her. Mikuo, following my lead, did the same.

"Do you have a name?" I mumbled. The girl opened her eyes slowly and tilted her head to the side a bit. "You know....a _name_..? Ok, like _my_ name is Len." Her brows came together, puzzled. I placed my hand onto my chest to note that I was talking about myself. "Len." I repeated. She looked between my hand on my chest and my eyes for a moment, then she lifted her own hand and placed it onto her chest.

"L-Len?" She echoed. She had a high soprano tone to her voice...Like wind chimes.

"No no no," I said, shaking my head. She snatched her hand from her chest and stared curiously at me. "_My_ name is Len. Me." I re-put my hand onto my chest again for emphasis. She stared at me a moment, then lifted her hand again and looked at it, then to me. Then to it. Then to me. Finally she leaned forward and cautiously placed her hand on top of mine.

"Len..?" She questioned, looking up at me with a concentrated expression. She was _really_ trying to get this.

"Right." I said with a nod. She relaxed and smiled a little. Then she looked at Mikuo, then back at me as she moved her hand off mine and instead moved in his direction. Not exactly touching him, just making him look at her palm.

"Len?" She questioned again, having that concentrated look again. I shook my head again. Her hand fell, disappointed.

"Mikuo." I corrected, giving the tealette a slap on the chest. Surprised at this act, he gave a cough and slowly massaged the spot where I hit him, glaring at me. She again lifted her hand in his direction.

"M-Mikuo?" She repeated with some difficulty in pronunciation. I nodded. Then she put her hand back on mine.

"Len." She stated, already knowing this one.

"Yes." I nodded again. Her eyes darted from me to Mikuo, possibly trying to find out what I talking about with these names. Then suddenly her eyes widened and brightened. One could practically see the light bulb flicker on.

"Len." She said, confidently, then moved her hand again toward Mikuo. "Mikuo." She then, leaned back to sit again, her legs coming out from beneath her so she sat all the way on the floor while still keeping her knees bent. She placed both her hands onto her chest and smiled.

"Rin." She said. I smiled a little myself.

"Rin? Is that your name?" I asked. She leaned forward and grabbed my hand and placed my palm to the top of her chest as she had done.

"Rin." She repeated with a nod. I blushed a little at the placement of my palm. I could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. She gave me a warm smile, and I returned it with one of my own.

"Ok...Rin." Just as I had thought, she wasn't stupid. She could clearly figure things out for herself, given the chance. She just didn't know how to go about asking for help.

"Well the phone still doesn't work...." Neru said, leaning over the bar. She placed her face into her palm with a sigh. Rin released my hand and pointed to Neru, looking at me with that curious look of hers.

"Neru." I answered her silent question.

"Neru..." She echoed in a whisper.

"What are you doing?" Neru asked, raising a brow.

"We got her name." Mikuo answered, standing up. I copied him and joined Neru at the bar, taking a seat in one of the stools.

"So no luck with the phone? Did you try turning anything on? Maybe _some_ power is on somewhere?" I asked.

"Yeah I tried a few things....Nothing works yet..." She replied. I turned sharply as I felt a hand on my arm. Rin stood next to me, having followed me from the spot on the floor.

"What are we gonna do with her?" Neru asked.

"I dunno...but...I don't think we should take her to the hospital or anything. She seems fine now..." I said, motioning for Rin to sit on the stool next to mine. She did so, carefully as if she would fall off of it.

"Did you ever find out where the blood was coming from?" Mikuo asked, joining the conversation. He took the last stool on the other side of Rin's. Rin herself was playing with her seat, amused at how it swiveled back and forth.

"No..." I admitted. "Rin?" She stopped and turned her attention to me. "Can you open your mouth for a second?" I pointed to her lips. She brushed her fingers over her lips with a puzzlement in her eyes.

"You know....Uh...S-say 'aaah.'" I instructed. To my surprise she did so.

"Aaaah.."

"Ok...um...Good." It didn't take me long to find where the blood had come from.

"It looks like her gums are irritated or something...."

"You think she should see a dentist?"

"...Nah it kind of looks like those wounds when you lose a tooth*....G-give her some water...Let her wash it out."

I motioned for Rin to close her mouth, while Neru grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it with some filtered water, before putting a straw in it.

"Here." Neru said handing her the glass. She took it, cautiously, and then looked into it. She looked at me, furrowing her brows.

"She doesn't even know how to drink from a cup?" Mikuo asked, amazed. I rolled my eyes.

"Watch me." I told Rin. She stared back. I took an invisible cup in my hand and brought it close to my mouth. She did the same with her cup. Then I took an imaginary straw and acted as if I put it in my mouth then inhaled to show what to do. She again copied me, giving a small hum of delight as the water hit her tongue.

"I still think we should let her see a doctor or something....I mean...we found her on a _beach_." Neru sighed.

"But think, Akita...If we take her to the doctor, then the newspaper will find out about a mysterious girl showing up on the beach then all hell will break lose." Mikuo chimed in. Neru opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it. I had to admit...Mikuo had a point there....

"Well we can't just _keep_ her." Neru said, watching as Rin happily drank from the cup.

"Why not?" I asked. Neru's eyes snapped to me and widened.

"W-why not? Len-kun!"

"What?" I asked innocently.

"We can't just keep her here....She's _not_ a puppy, Len." At that I turned to Rin again. She placed the cup on the counter and looked back at me, with her big, blue eyes. Then she smiled with a soft giggle. I looked back at Neru.

"She's cute like a puppy..." I offered. As if to back up this statement, Rin went to put the straw back into her mouth...except that the straw evaded her. She chased it around for several seconds making small 'ah' sounds before I finally held the straw still for her. She smiled as she finally caught the straw between her lips, beginning to drink again. I smiled and rolled my eyes. Cuter than a puppy.

"Len-kun....I really don't think it's a good idea-"

"Where else is she gonna go? She can't talk, she can barely walk...."

"Well...do you think your dad will care?"

"Pft...My dad can go shove his opinions up his a-"

"Len?" I stopped at the interruption. Rin was waving her cup back and forth, a pleading sort of expression on her face. The cup was empty. Neru sighed and took the cup, filling it back up with water. She handed it back to Rin who took it and began to drink again.

"I noticed something..." Mikuo mumbled.

"What?" I asked.

"Well...watch." He said, reaching out his hand toward Rin. She in response leaned away from him, glaring out of the corner of her eyes. He pulled back his hand and she fixed her posture.

"Now Akita, you try." Neru sighed but complied, reaching out as he had done. Rin again leaned away, this time growling a little.

"M'kay, now Len." I did as the others did, simply acting as if I'd touch Rin, but instead of leaning away she simply stared back at me. She lifted her hand and slowly reached back toward me until her palm was resting against mine, staring rather cutely up at me as she took small sips from her cup.

"Well that's odd....." I muttered.

"I know...It's like...She trusts you for some reason." Mikuo laughed. "You really _do_ work fast, don't you?"

"Mikuo, shut the hell up!"

* * *

*** = When Rin took the potion, it changed her insides and her teeth (I picture mermaids having a few sharp teeth like some fish have) so the blood is from the altering of her internal organs as well as her sharp teeth falling out and regrowing as human teeth.**

* * *

**AN- I love making Rin cute.....And I love when Len thinks Rin is cute......**

**We all know he was totally checking out Rin's chest x3  
**

**Ok I know most of you are like...."Hmmmm a little LenxNeru thar?"  
The answer is no DX**

**I HATE HATE HATE LenxNeru...almost as much as LenxMiku. So no. Strictly LenxRin...Although...Maybe I'll put in a little MikuoxNeru...That's kind of cute, right? Right....What do you think?**

**Review please! I'm a greedy little girl~  
....That sounded dirty didn't it?  
**


	6. The First Night

**AN- Ok so a few people have been asking about Rin's bleeding in the last chapter (even though it's explained in a footnote..) so I'll try and explain it again. The way I see mermaids, they have a few teeth that are sharper than others to be able to cut and chew through the fish they eat**. **Kind of like how wild cats have sharp front teeth and then regular molars to help them scrap meat off the bones....And so when Rin went through her transformation, those teeth had to fall out (and become essence) and be replaced with human teeth. Which would cause her gums irritation and bleeding.  
**

**Also when her tail turns into legs there's got to be some major organ moving there. Her insides are getting all screwed up. Muscles splitting, reproductive organs developing and shifting positions and then her gill systems vanishing completely. That'll cause some bleeding which will be coughed up through the mouth.**

**Hopefully it's clear now.**

**

* * *

****Len POV**

I found out quickly that Rin didn't quite know what to do with a lot of things. She was very curious. Picking things up, studying them for a moment and then moving on to something else. For a long while she was simply _fascinated_ with a roll of paper towels. That is until I had to take it away from her before she pulled out every sheet. Neru had said she wasn't a puppy. That may be true but Rin definitely acted like a puppy. I had to scold her a little for getting into things she shouldn't. Like when she went into the guest room and dug around Neru's suitcase.

Needless to say that when we found her, clothes were scattered everywhere. Neru wasn't very happy about Mikuo's various comments about her underwear....

But after that, Rin seemed content with her explorations. Instead she stuck close to me. Which I really didn't mind. Actually I kind of felt a little special that she didn't like anyone else. Well....it was more like she was afraid of the others. Strange little thing...

We tried to see if we could get her to give us a last name...or maybe the name of where she lived, but had no such luck. She had no idea of anything we requested, even after Mikuo's little game of charades...It was amazing to think that a person could be as intelligent as I figured she was but then still wonder how to use the simplest items, or how to speak.

Mikuo suggested she was an alien.

...Idiot. It was more likely she was suffering from some odd case of amnesia....Or something. I'm not a doctor, you know? But I highly doubt that she came from another planet...As awesome as that would be it's very unlikely.

"Hey, be careful with that!"

"AH!"

"What the-?"

"Now see what you've done..."

I rose from my spot on the sofa, stumbling a little in my rush, and walked quickly into the kitchen. Mikuo was messing around with a pot of boiling water on the stove, while Rin stood next to him, holding onto her hand and nursing one of her fingers in her mouth.

"What happened?" I asked, looking between the two.

"I told her to be careful...but does she listen? Nooooo. She just goes ahead and touches a pot filled with _boiling_ water.." Mikuo mumbled, putting the lid back on the pot. He (rather amusingly) put his hands on his hips and sent a look of annoyance towards Rin.

"She burnt herself?"

"Yeah..." He sighed.

"Let me see, Rin." She looked at me with a pained expression, tears welling up in her eyes. I gently took her hand, rolling up the sleeve of her shirt to look at the reddened marks on her palm and fingers. She winced.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" I asked rhetorically. She sniffed in response, biting down on her lip. "Yeah, that will probably blister a bit..."

A few minutes later I had a plastic bag full of ice pressed to Rin's hand, while she squirmed from both the cold and the pain. Every few seconds she would sniff.

"How did she manage to do this, anyway?" I asked, giving Mikuo a look. He was adding rice into the offending pot now, stirring it a little before replacing the lid.

"I dunno. I turned around to put a plate in the sink and when I looked back she had her hand all over the pot...You should have been watching her anyway..."

"Me? What am I, her keeper?"

"Might as well be...."

"What's that supposed to-?"

"Len?" I looked back at Rin, who was frowning at her palm. I sighed and pressed the ice a little harder against her skin.

"You have to learn to be careful with things, Rin..." I said, as she swiveled a little in her stool.

"Careful?" She repeated, tilting her head to the side. Her hair had dried by now and it moved swiftly over her shoulder as she moved.

"Yes, careful," I nodded, "When your careful...things like _this_ don't happen."

"No?"

"No. They don't."

"Careful...No....No....," She struggled, trying to find the word, "No 'ow?'" She said, finally.

"Right...No 'ow's' when your careful." She huffed and frowned at her palm again.

"She sounds like a caveman..." Mikuo mumbled.

"You _look_ like a caveman." I replied, throwing him a smirk. He responded with a glare, then went back to his rice. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Making onigiri..."

"For what?"

"Dinner....Akita said no negi so I'm making some onigiri."

"..._Just _onigiri?" I asked, raising a brow. He nodded.

"Yup."

"You're not a very good cook are you?"

"....S-shutup..."

Ah, Mikuo. Mikuo was...special in his own way. He wasn't _really_ the idiot his actions made him look to be, he just liked to be the fun guy. In fact I had first met him at a party one of the girls at school had been throwing. I'd been invited by some unknown chance since I didn't even know the girl. But Mikuo had been the one to come by and ask me if I wanted some of the soda that was being served. It was obviously spiked with something so I had declined, but Mikuo....Ah boy...He'd had about five cups before he'd gotten up on a table and started dancing. That was fun to watch. Especially when he had fallen off. Long story short I had to take his drunk ass home. And just like with Neru, awkward events lead to friendship.

I couldn't really blame him for his cooking. There really wasn't much left in the pantry...or the fridge. I needed to go to the store and get some things. But what lacked in variety was definitely made up in quantity. The guy must have used up every bit of rice we had. Neru wasn't pleased with dinner but she at least ate it. Rin of course was highly eager to swallow every bit of the food given to her. It's like the girl had never had rice before....then again maybe she hadn't.

I couldn't help but wonder where she came from. Who her parents or guardians were, and where? Did they intentionally leave her on the beach? If so why was she naked? And...so helpless? Not being able to speak Japanese is one thing, but it seemed she knew nothing about modern technology, or anything else really. That was definitely strange.

Neru had said something about people who treat their children like they were just something to feed. Chained them up in their rooms and let them sit there for years without letting them out and barely taking care of them. If that's what Rin's been through I don't want to find her guardians. But without her being able to communicate properly, it could be anything. For now I was sticking to my amnesia theory.

After dinner Neru, complaining about her early awakening this morning, announced that she was going to bed. Baby. I get up early everyday and I don't complain nearly as much. Then again she usually stayed up half the night, texting her friends. Her cell phone bills must be off the charts.

Mikuo and I stayed awake a little while, watching the television and talking about our new house guest. He was now set on the idea that Rin was from some local insane institution, from which she'd escaped. When I'd asked where her clothes had gone he tried to sell me the idea that she'd escaped during bath time. Even Rin, who didn't understand anything of what we were saying, gave him a narrowed eyed look. After awhile though, it got to be very quiet in the room. When I turned away from the TV to Mikuo, I found he'd fallen asleep.

I turned off the TV and the light before heading into my room. Rin tagged along behind me, as I thought she would, holding that small jewelry box of hers in her hands. I hadn't really thought about sleeping arrangements until this very moment. I wondered how this was going to work. The polite thing to do would be to let Rin have my bed while I made a place on the floor for myself. With my sleepwear of a white t-shirt with a pair of yellow boxers it wouldn't be too cold there. Or I could go wake up Neru and wait no. Waking up Neru in the middle of the night was a very _bad_ idea. I remember the one time Mikuo woke her up, making too much noise in the kitchen. She'd been so angry she'd said nothing but kicked him right in the...well...the place no man should ever be kicked.

While I thought of my sleeping options, Rin was looking around my bedroom, stopping to gaze at the pictures on my dresser, or eying my computer on the desk in the corner. She approached my bookshelf and spent a few seconds in front of it before pulling out a few books onto the floor. I watched, curiously, as she placed her small jewelry box onto the shelf where the books had been and then put the books back onto a higher shelf instead. She looked at me, and seeing that I was paying attention she put her hand onto the box.

"No." She said, firmly.

"No?" I echoed. She picked up the box and acted like she was moving it to a different location, but then placed it back onto the shelf.

"No." She repeated.

"Oh..No, you don't want that to be moved?"

"No." She said again as I went to stand next to her. I looked at her and pointed to the box.

"You want this to stay _here_?" I asked, for clarification.

"This. Here. No." She said, giving me a hard look. Obviously she didn't want anyone touching or moving this box, or what was inside of it.

"Ok," I said with a nod, "No moving of the box will be attempted."

"..No..." She mumbled, looking at the box again. I watched her, silently, as her eyes began to scan my bedroom once more. The blue orbs weren't as wide and energetic as they had been earlier. She must be tired. I didn't blame her. I was exhausted, and I hadn't even done a lot today...Pft...Just found a random girl on the beach.

Rin suddenly reached up to the top shelf of the bookcase, something catching her eye. She had to stand on her toes to be able to reach the item, which turned out to be an old stuffed animal of mine. It was a plush animal of a clown fish, the white stripes having become slightly dirty over the years, and the black, glass eyes were scratched from play when I was younger. Rin looked it over, running her fingers over the soft fluff of the toy, and the eyes.

"This?" She asked, holding it up. She really was learning words fast.

"It's just a toy clown fish...." I mumbled. Her brows furrowed, not understanding me. I grabbed her hand and placed her palm onto the toy.

"Clown fish." I repeated. "A toy clown fish."

"Clown fish?" She echoed. I nodded.

"I'll let you play with it. But be careful. It was a gift from my mother when I was a baby..."

"Careful. This." She said, firmly with a nod. Then she yawned, giving a small squeak as she exhaled. Her eyelids were heavy, threatening to close.

"Are you tired?" I asked, knowing she wouldn't answer me. She stared, sleepily at me. "You can sleep in my bed if you want...?" I said, gesturing to the queen sized bed in the far corner of the room. Rin looked between it and me for a moment before nodding as if she understood. She walked past me and climbed onto my bed, holding the stuffed clown fish to her chest. She chose the spot closest to the wall and fell onto her side, facing me. She snuggled against the pillow beneath her head and cuddled the toy against her.

I sighed suddenly feeling the events of the day falling upon my ability to stay awake. I switched off my desk lamp, leaving the room dark with only the sound of waves coming in from the open window. The floor would be my sleeping place for the evening. Perhaps tomorrow I could persuade Rin to sleep in Neru's room. I opened the door to my bedroom, set on getting to the hall closet and grabbing a few blankets. But as soon as I had opened it I heard the ruffling of sheets from the other side of the room.

"Len?"

"Don't worry, Rin. I'll be right back." I said gently, gesturing towards the living room outside of my door.

"No." She said shaking her head.

"But-"

"Here." She interrupted me. I raised a brow, wondering what she meant. "Here." She patted the spot beside her on the bed.

"Oh...No, Rin. We can't share." I said, shaking my head. She huffed and hugged the plushie tighter to herself.

"Here." She asked again.

"No." I argued.

"Rin, here. Len, here." She said, pointing to the spot again. Her eyes held all the pleading she was doing, sending the emotion at me in silent shots. Finally I sighed and shut my door once again.

"If I sleep next to you, will you go to sleep?" I asked. As if to answer my question she rested against the pillow once more. I sighed again and got onto my side of the bed. Usually I would have argued more against this sort of thing. I was a gentleman after all, and I still didn't think I should be in the same bed. But at that time I was too tired to argue with her. Better to let her have her way and both of us get sleep than spending the night arguing.

"You're really bossy, you know that?" I asked as I pulled the comforter over me and looked over at Rin beside me. I think she was already asleep, her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply and smoothly. I then let myself drop into the pillow, closing my eyes. I was asleep in less than a minute.

* * *

I dreamt I was in the ocean. Some unfamiliar part I had yet to explore. There was thick plants around me, and I think I was tangled in them. My air was running out as I tried to pull the weeds off of me. I reached up toward the waters surface with no avail to getting any closer to it. Someone was calling my name. The plants were tightening on my limbs, shaking me.

I opened my mouth to scream, but I was jolted awake before I could by a hand to the back of my head. I stirred with a grumble, lifting my face from the pillow.

"What?" I hissed. Neru stood next to the bed, hands on her hips. She was already dressed for the day, in a white T-shirt and blue jeans. Her hair was pulled into the usual ponytail on the left side of her head.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked.

"Um....Sleeping?" I guessed. "I do it rather often, actually."

"Alright," she replied, "But why are you sleeping with Rin in your bed?" I turned my head to look at said bed mate. She was still asleep, her body facing me and the comforter pulled down to her hips. Her hair was strewn in every direction, making it seem like she had tossed in her sleep. Her blouse was riding up a bit; I could see her stomach (Were those scars on her sides?). My plushie was still held safely in her arms. I looked back at Neru with a raised brow.

"She wouldn't go to sleep unless I slept next to her." I explained. Neru only glared at me, and crossed her arms over her chest. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yeah, Neru, because we _totally_ did it last night...." I said sarcastically. She sighed and shook her head.

"Anyway...wake Rin up and come out..Breakfast is ready." She mumbled, exiting my room. Once the door to my room was closed I turned over and sat up on the bed. The room was filled with light from my window and the smell of eggs from the kitchen. I got up from the sleeping space and grabbed a pair of black shorts and a sleeveless orange shirt before entering the bathroom. I changed and went trough the normal morning routine before going to get Rin up.

At this point the girl had subconsciously realized that she had the whole bed to herself. She was stretched across, her head now on the pillow that I had previously laid on. The comforter was now down to her knees, completely rejected. In her sleep she muttered something in a different language, or it was complete gibberish. Maybe it was her natural language, or something? It sounded odd...Lots of clicks tied in with the words.

I stepped beside the bed and leaned over to shake her shoulder a little bit.

"Hey," I called gently, "Time to get up." She stirred immediately, fluttering her eyes open. She groaned sleepily, slowly sitting up with the plush still held in her hands.

"Well good morning, sleepy head." I laughed as she gazed, eyes half-lidded, at me. It seemed she began to register as soon as I spoke. Her eyes opened in an awake fashion and she smiled.

"Len!" She cried, dropping the toy in her hands and raising onto her knees to wrap her arms around my neck. I instantly blushed, feeling her nuzzling against my neck.

"R-Rin?" I stuttered, surprised by this action. She did nothing in response, but continued to hug me for a few seconds longer. She was so close to me...I could smell Neru's scent on her clothes mixed with the ocean. That was probably Rin herself. Her hair smelled like salt water. It was nice actually. Finally she loosened her hold on me, pulling to smile at me. I smiled back.

"Glad to see you're happy this morning..." I muttered. She giggled in response. "Hey, Rin?" She opened her eyes at the sound of her name.

"Do you want to go swimming after breakfast?"

* * *

**AN- Yeah I suppose this chapter is a bit of a filler....But then with stories like these there are a lot of those...At least that I've seen. Besides fillers aren't that bad.**

**Reviews make the world go round people. Remember than :3**

**Next chapter: A trip to the beach leads to some arguments.  
**


	7. The Getting Used To

**AN-**

**IMPORTANT NOTE!  
As mentioned in previous chapters Rin cannot understand Japanese. The original plan was to just blah blah through talking when in Rin's point of view, but I figured I would miss out on a lot of chances for humour or important details.**

*****So bold words while in Rin's POV will be words she doesn't understand yet. Please keep this in mind when reading :3  
Also in response to this, Len cannot understand Rin's language. So whenever bold words are seen in his point of view while Rin is talking in her language, these will be words he cannot understand.  
**

**

* * *

**

**Rin's POV**

This world...This world above my own. It was so...so...amazing! All the tools and different objects! I never knew! And this thing they call onigiri. Delicious! Stuffed with fish meat and covered with something called 'rice.' So fascinating.

The caves of this world were so pretty! So well designed. Each room set to something different. Shaped so differently from the rough walls of my own cave back home.

Home....I wondered how Mother and the others were doing. If they missed me. If they thought I was stupid....and selfish. I didn't feel selfish. I pitied them. They couldn't see all this beauty that I could.

And my boy. Len. That was his name. Len. Such a simple name yet it sounded just right for him. I felt a little happy that his name was the first word I learned from this world. It was embarrassing to think this way of course. But I was still happy.

For some reason this Neru bothers me. And the Mikuo person he amuses me, but he didn't warn me about that offensive metal object that hurt me when I touched it. It really hurt. Len had to put frozen water on my hands to make it feel better. I needed to be **careful**.

The language here is so colourful as well! I've only learned a few words but I'm getting the hang of it. Pretty soon I'll be able to have full conversations with Len. And we can talk about many things together. Fish, the ocean, coral reefs. But never about the true me or my family. I can't let any of my new friends know. They might turn on me. Even Len.

It seems that humans had breakfast just as we do at home. Only the humans had food stored in this huge box of ice instead of going out and hunting. Smart creatures. Perhaps we should develop something like this back home. A refrigerator I think they called it. And the food was not eaten right away here. It was put over a fire to **cook**. Cooking, it was so strange. But it made these eatables so much better than the fish I had usually eaten for my diet.

So wonderful.

"Here, Rin." Neru said, placing one of those things they called plates in front of me. There were two large circular things on it, white and yellow in colour. Then on the side a few pieces of something that were orange.

"This?" I asked, pointing at it. Like I said, I couldn't speak too well yet. But I did understand some things.

"**It's breakfast."** She replied with a hint of a sigh in her voice. Of course I couldn't understand her. I furrowed my brows to show that I didn't get what she said.

**"These," **She pointed at the circular things, **"are eggs."**

"Eggs?" I repeatedly, stupidly. She nodded. Ha! Another word I've learned. Where the orange things called eggs too?

**"And these are **orange** slices. **Orange."

Well I certainly knew they were orange. Wait. Is that what they were called? Oranges? Interesting.

I picked up the orange piece first, examining it. It was sort of...squishy. But when I did that it only dripped orange blood onto my hands. Wait..Did these oranges have blood? It didn't look like blood. It definitely didn't taste like it either when I liked it from my fingers. It tasted really good actually. Sweet.

Finally I put the strange food into my mouth and chewed.

Oh...my..gosh.

The best thing ever! So delicious! The right balance of sweet and tangy. Bitter yet irresistible. I ate the rest of them in one bite. And payed for it as I began to choke. Not seriously, but a slight cough.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Rin**-chan, are you alright?!"**The voice who I instantly recognized as Mikuo's sounded panicked. I quickly finished my coughing fit before turning to the teal haired male with a smile. Mikuo reminded me so much of Miku. It's like they could be twins.

I waved him off with one hand, the other on my chest. He looked at me for a moment before taking a seat next to me on the odd, moving chair. I needed to eat slower. But these oranges! They will be the death of me. I can see it now. Me being thrown into the abyss and my Mother crying over how I'd choked to death on these little pieces of heaven. I would be sent directly to heaven with an orange in my hand.

Though since I was a mermaid I couldn't go to heaven after all.

Wait. I wasn't a mermaid anymore! I had no tail connected to my body anymore! I couldn't use them very well but I had legs! I was a human, meaning I could go to heaven if I died in this form. Not like I was planning on offing myself up here. Especially when luck had been bestowed upon me. Here I was, living in the home of the same human I wanted to meet. I silently wondered if they were only pitying me because of how I looked, alone on the shore. Perhaps they would throw me out at some point?

What would I do then?

...Now was not the time to dwell on such things. I had yet to finish my strange meal. I must say these egg things are simply delicious!

**"Just a banana for breakfast, **Len?** Really?**" I turned at the sound of Len's name. He was leaning against the large wooden boxes connected to each other. I think I heard Neru call them cabinets..or counter...or something. He had some sort of edible..yellow thing in his hand, the top of it having been bitten off already. Was that the banana? Or some other word that Neru had said? Oh, this was so confusing!

"**Quit your bitchin', **Neru." Len said, taking another bite of the food. "**It's not my fault **Idiot** over there ate everything else.**" I've discovered that Len liked to call Mikuo that for some reason. He didn't seem like much of an idiot to me. But then, I've only known him for a day.

"**Hey! A growing boy needs his nourishment.**" Mikuo said from beside me. I sighed, wishing I could join the conversation. This was so difficult not understanding anything but a few words.

"**Are you going to the beach after you eat, again?**" Mikuo said.

"**I was planning on it. Why? Do you want to go?**" Len raised one of his brows.

"No**thanks. I'll pass. But while you're gone I was thinking of going to get some grocery shopping done. Anything in particular you want?**"

"**You're going shopping? You?" **Len laughed for some reason.

"**Well, if I don't Akita will kick me again.**"

"**Damn right I will.**"

"**Why can't you go do it? You're a woman.**"

"**So?**" Neru sounded angry. She glared at Mikuo who apparently didn't know when to shut his mouth.

"**So, it's usually women that do these sort of things.**" He said.

"**Well then, I guess you're going to be a woman for the day.**"

"**I am **no** woman!**"

"**You sure do bitch like one.**" Len said, nonchalantly taking the last bite of the yellow food in his hand. Whatever he had said it made Neru send her glare at him. He smiled innocently.

This sounded like an argument to me. But then, I couldn't tell. Not really. As they continued to converse with each other I finished my meal. I used my hands to eat the rest since that was what I was accustomed. But earlier I'd seen Mikuo eating with a pair of sticks. I think I wanted to learn how to use them.

Eventually the argument got phsyical. Len had to hold Neru back before she pounced on the tealette beside me. I simply watched, amused. It was like that thing that we had watched last night on the picture box in the other room. Proffesional wrestling I think. But it seemed Len was the peace maker here before the bell could ring. The fighting was amusing to me. I wondered what it would be like in person. Len had liked it too. Why was he preventing it? Was he waiting for the bell? I could do that.

"DING!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms up. Instantly Neru stopped her struggling and every eye turned to me. What? Did I ring it too early?

"Ding?" Neru whispered.

"**Seems she remembered something weird....**" Mikuo muttered. I guess it wasn't time to ring the bell...Now that's not fun. I wanted to see a fight. But I got the opposite effect. I needed to learn when the bell-ringing time was appropriate.

Len finally released the girl as she had calmed down enough. Neru huffed and brushed her ponytail over her shoulder. Do all females on land wear their hair like that? It seemed that at any given moment she would fall over due to the uneven weight...

"**Are you children calm now?**" Len asked. Neru glared at him again. That wasn't very nice of her to glare at everyone so often. I wasn't used to such hostility. My sisters and I may tease each other, and sometimes even our parents, but it was never anything serious. Neru looked like she was ready to take all of us down.

"**I'm fine.**" She sighed, and looked at me. What? Did I do something wrong? ...Was there something on my face?

Subconsciously I went to touch my cheek.

"**I suppose you'll be taking **Rin** with you?**" She turned to Len. He shrugged.

"**If she wants to go. Oi, **Rin,** wanna go to the beach?**" He said looking at me. There was a short pause before I tilted my head to side. Len motioned for me to follow him so I got up from my moving chair and did so. He lead me toward one of the holes in the wall covered with glass and pointed out of it. Outside I could see the water. The very shore of which he and Neru had found me only yesterday.

Oh, I see. He wanted to go for a swim as he did everyday. He wanted me to go with him?

I turned to him with a smile and nodded eagerly. I wanted to feel how it was to swim with two 'tails' instead of one. Of course I wouldn't move as fast as I once had, but still it would an exciting experience. I wondered how the salt water would taste in this human mouth. How long I could hold my breath before I absolutely _needed_air. How deep could I travel before succumbing to the high pressure. This body was much more fragile than my old one.

"**Awesome.**" Len returned my smile. I felt myself blush.

"**Fine. But I'm going with you two.**" Len looked back at the girl with a strange look.

"**You are?**"

"**Yes. I have to make sure you don't do anything weird to** Rin." Len narrowed his eyes a little.

"**I'm not gonna do anything!**"

"**Akita is just jealous!**" Mikuo exclaimed.

"**I am not!**" Neru stomped her foot on the ground, crossing her arms. She glared at Mikuo again, a light blush on her face. She looked so cute! I wanted to hug her, but I also feared what would happen if I did.

"**Well fine then. Come if you want.**" Len shrugged. Neru rolled her eyes and looked at me. What?

I touched my face again to be sure. But she motioned for me to come with her. I looked at Len who only looked out the window. Neru waved me over again, so I obeyed. She lead me into her room and closed the door.

"**Between you and me,**" She said, digging through the cloth box of clothes next to her bed which I had been scolded for messing with, "**I'm not jealous, ok?**" She looked up at me with an expression that said she wanted a response. I only smiled, but she seemed satisfied with that. She dug around in the clothes for a moment before pulling out the swim clothes that I had seen her in yesterday. She laid those on the bed before furrowing her brows at me.

"**Do you want to wear one too?**" She motioned toward the swim clothes, then to me.

I nodded, understanding what she was asking. I definitely wanted to wear one! These clothes were odd, and not quite what I was used to. But I was open to anything.

"**You'll need to take these off then.**" Neru picked up the sleeve of the white thing on my upper body and let it drop.

"Off?" I asked.

"**Yeah, off. Like...**" She trailed off. I watched curiously as she pulled the clothes off of her upper body and let it drop to the floor. "**Off."** She repeated. Off. Hm.

She put her hands on her hips, looking at me to see if I understood. I didn't but something else was catching my attention.

"This?" I asked, pointing at the clothes on her chest. It looked like the top part of her swim clothes but....lacier.

"**It's a bra. You know....Y-you've never seen a bra before?**" She raised one of her brows. I let my eyes drift back to her chest. I don't know why, but I was simply fascinated by this thing. She called it a bra, right? It even sounded strange! How curious! Neru sighed as I continued to stare.

"**Really...you're worse than a boy....**" She mumbled, I think, to herself more than me. That cloth...looked really...soft....I think I want to.....

Slowly I lifted my hands, Neru watching me with a puzzled expression. Suddenly I put my hands onto her chest, feeling the cloth beneath my palms. It felt nice. Cool. I could feel the shape of her breasts beneath it. They were fairly large. Not as big as Luka's for sure! But bigger than mine. Neru's eyes widened as she gave a loud squeak of surprise. She batted my hands away, and covered her chest with her arms.

"**W-what are you doing?! You can't just grab a girl's chest like that!**" She shouted, looking at me with disbelief. She was blushing again. More so than a few minutes ago. She looked cute again!

I pounced on her, throwing my arms around her with a smile. She wasn't expecting this, and stumbled backwards. We both toppled to the ground. This didn't deter me, however, as I continued to hug and nuzzle against her. She was so cute! I couldn't help myself.

"**What are you doing?! Get **off **of me!**" She yelled, trying to push my body off of her's. But I didn't allow it. I was busy enjoying her cuteness!

"Neru, cute!" I exclaimed, lifting my face to smile at her. Immediately she stopped resisting and simply stared at me. **Kawaii** was the magic word, eh? I'd heard Len call me that yesterday. Several times. He was smiling when he said it, so it must mean something good.

"**Y-you think I'm **cute?" She asked, blinking a few times. I nodded.

"Cute." I repeated, squeezing her again. She sighed and let the back of her head hit the floor.

"**You are such a freak....**" She whispered. I smiled.

* * *

**"There, that ought to do it." **Neru brushed her hair out of her eyes as she looked at me. I turned to face my reflection in the glass square beside the large...um...dresser I think Len had called it. I could see my whole body in the glass. I looked good in this swim wear! It was two pieces like Neru's. And it sort of looked like same. Except mine was yellow, trimmed with black instead of purple.

**"I'd suggest we comb out this jungle you call hair, but it won't do any good after you get in the water." **Neru said, picking up a lock of my hair and letting in drop onto my shoulder. She'd taken her's out of the side tail and let it hang normally. It made her look pretty, I think. I don't see why she tied it up like that.

"**You two ready, or what?**" I heard Len's voice call from the other room.

"**Yeah yeah!" **Neru shouted back, opening the door. She let me out first, which was nice of her, before coming out herself.

"**This isn't fuckin' fair." **Mikuo mumbled as I walked into the room. He sounded mad. "**Why is it that you get to hang with **Rin **when she looks so **cute**? And I have to go to the fricken' store?"**

"Rin no cute." I said, crossing my arms. Hey! I just made a complete sentence!

"Oh?" Len asked, raising a brow. He'd already changed into his swim wear as well.

"No." I said, shaking my head. I looked at Neru with a smile. "Neru cute." Neru rolled her eyes but I think I caught a smile before it faded. Len snorted.

"Neru **is** cute? **Are you sure about that?" **

"**Shutup, **Len." Neru said, blushing again, with a glare.

"**I'll agree that she's **cute." Mikuo smiled. Neru raised her brows at him.

"**You think every girl is **cute** though."**

**"So? Doesn't mean I can't think you are."**He gave her a wink. Neru shook her head with a glare at the boy. I sense a fight coming again!

"DING!" I exclaimed again. Again no fight happened. Just more staring.

I really must learn the appropriate timings.

* * *

It was amazing how close Len's home was to the shore. Just a walk down a large dune and BAM. Beach. So cool!

"**So we're really gonna do **this**?" **Neru asked, as me made our way down. I was on one side of Len while she was on the other.

"**What?"** Len asked.

"**Take her in.**" Neru nodded to me.

"**Well we can't just ditch her, can we?" **

"**We can take her to the police. See if she has anyone looking for her.**"

"**Don't you think if someone was looking for her there would be a report on the news or something?**"

"**But, **Len....**Isn't **this** the same as kidnapping if we don't do anything?**"

"**And isn't it abandonment if someone just leaves a person on the **beach** to die?**" He gave Neru a weird look. She sighed.

"**Touche**." She said. That sounded like a fun word. Touche.

"Touche." I echoed. Len smiled and patted my head.

We were the first ones there when we got down. Not even that fisherman that I'd seen a couple of times was there yet. I liked it this way. The children that were here sometimes made a lot of unneeded noise.

Len went to the usual spot he chose, as I suspected he would. The largest boulder surrounding the beach. Neru seemed pleased with this location as well. She set up a small blanket and sat on it, throwing on a pair of what I think she called sun glasses. She laid out on her back, and closed her eyes, muttering something to herself that sounded like "catch some sun." Whatever that meant. She would burn up if she stayed that way for long.

"**C'mon, **Rin, **do you know how to swim?" **Len asked, gesturing to the water. Instead of giving him an answer I simply jumped in. The water felt cool against my skin, the gentle pressure feeling different with my legs. I sunk a little below the surface, holding my breath as I'd seen many humans do. The water stung my eyes a little, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. The water, even with these human eyes, looked so clear, and pretty. Simply beautiful as I'd always found it. Swimming took me a moment to figure out. But I'd watched loads of humans swim before, and it wasn't difficult to copy their technique. I kicked my legs back and forth as I'd seen, and propelled myself back to the surface. Once above the water I took a deep breath of air. I heard a splash from behind me, and I quickly spun around. Len emerged a second later, pushing his loose hair out of his face.

**"Way to go genius!"**Neru shouted from above us. I looked up at her to see that the splash had caused a little water to get onto her and her glasses. Len only laughed. I wondered why Neru wasn't getting in with us.

"Neru!" I called, waving her down. She shook her head.

"No. No **way**. **I hate salt water."** She said. I pouted and waved her down again. I didn't understand most of that, but I did understand the word **no.** She needed to stop being a Mrs. Grumpy Gills.

Again she declined. So I did what any sane person would do. I grabbed her wrists and pulled her in.

"**WAITWAITDON'T-!" **Splash. I heard Len laughing loudly behind me as Neru surfaced and glared evily at me. I smiled at her. She may be mad now, but she'd thank me later. Who can't have fun going for a swim?

"**I'm **this** close to attacking her, **Len. This **close.**" Neru said, looking past me to Len.

"**Don't, **Neru.** She doesn't know any better." **Len said. It sounded like he was trying to stop laughing.

"**Stop laughing at me!**" She shouted, blushing again.

"Cute!" I shouted, hugging her again.

"**That's it!**" She pried me off and dunked me underwater, only letting me up after a few seconds. A bit of water got into my mouth, and I started to cough it up as I surfaced again. The water tasted different than it did before. Bitter. Interesting.

"Neru! **What the hell?"** Len shouted, putting a hand on my shoulder. I waved him off as my coughing fit ended. That was actually pretty fun!

"**Hey! You're not the one who got groped this morning." **Neru said, wrapping her arms around her chest.

"....**She groped you?**" Len laughed again.

"**I said stop laughing!"**Neru shouted before splashing water at him. After wiping the water from his eyes, he returned fire. Neru tried to cover herself but in majority took the water thrown at her. I smirked a bit before splashing water at both of them, causing them to send me a look. Then they looked at each other with evil smiles before sending water at me.

New discovery: Splash fights are fun. After awhile though, Neru pulled herself out of the water and back onto the rock. And then Len, going up first so he could help me up. Neru wrapped something called a towel around me. It kept me warm after being in the water. Neru had packed a bag up with a few things, and from it she handed me a bottle filled with fresh water. It definitely tasted better than the ocean water.

"**We should head back soon."**

"**Probably. **Mikuo's** probably home by now."**

"**He better be.**"

"**Yeah....**"

I wasn't really paying attention to the conversation. I was finishing off the water in my hand.

I whipped around, however, when I heard a splash from the end of the boulder bridge. Len and Neru didn't seem to notice it, too deep in their conversation to actually care. I supposed it was something I should have ignored, but I couldn't help but wonder why there would be random splashing when there weren't any waves today. I went to turn back around but then I saw something that I had been dreading.

Luka. Behind one of the boulders. Glaring at me. With one finger she gestured for me to come over. I looked back at Len and Neru before standing up.

"Rin?" Len said, looking up at me. I simply smiled before taking a step back. Hopefully he wouldn't follow. To my relief he simply shrugged and continued to talk with Neru. I made my way toward my doom, slowly as no to call attention to myself. I hopped off the boulder, into the water. It was shallow enough for me to stand here.

Luka glared before me, probably balancing herself on her tail. I looked down, to see, and found myself to be right. Her pink tail looked pretty in the sunlight.

"What....In the name of Neptune do you think you're doing?!" She whispered harshly at me, crossing her arms over her chest.

I looked back up at her, meeting her eyes with my own. She looked beyond angry.

"I'm not doing anything." I said.

"Not doing anything?" She echoed. "Rin! Look at yourself!"

"What?!" I hissed, holding out my arms. "You can't deny that I look awesome!"

"Rin." Luka said, shaking her head. "You have to come home."

"I don't want to go home, Luka." I said, narrowing my eyes. "I want to stay here. With Len, and Neru." I looked up toward the two, but Luka grabbed my face and pulled me back. Her anger had turned into something else. It looked like concern.

"Rin. Please listen to me. This can't end well for you." She said.

"How do you figure?" I asked.

"You can't hide the fact that you're not human forever. What are you going to tell them ,when you _do_ learn their language, when they ask where you come from? Who your family is? Why you ended up just appearing the way you did?"

"I don't know." I admitted. "But I'll think of something."

"Mother and Father are worried sick about you."

"Luka," I sighed and took her face into my hands, "You guys don't need to worry. I'm fine. Really. They have no idea about your existence. I'm going to keep it that way, I promise. I'm happy up here."

"You've been up here for one day, Rin. You'll get tired of this life eventually." She said. I shook my head.

"You're wrong, sister." I said with a smile. "I mean look at this!" I lifted one of my legs above the water. "Aren't they perfect?" I asked.

"I think your tail is more beautiful." She sighed. "Please, Rin, don't do this. Come home. I miss you. Mother misses you. Miku misses you."

"Miku thinks I'm selfish." I dropped my hands and looked down.

"Well Rin I can hardly argue with her." Luka snapped. I glared at her.

"I'm not coming home, Luka. And that's final. If you want me to come home you'll just have to drag me kicking and screaming- WOAH, WAIT!" I held up my hand as she grabbed my arms, intending to drag me into the water. She froze and looked at me.

"I'm still human, remember? If you drag me home now I'll drown." I warned her. She huffed and released me.

"Damnit, Rin!" She nearly shouted.

"Shh, do you want them to hear?" I said.

"Can't you reverse the magic?"

"Of course, but I'm not telling you how."

"Rin!"

"Luka!" I mocked her tone.

"**Oi, **Rin!" I looked up at the sound of Len's voice. After a moment he appeared over the side of the rock.

"**What are you doing down there?"**He raised a brow. I looked back down to tell Luka to scram, but there was no one there.

I think Len and Neru were ready to head back, so I pulled myself out of the water again. As we started up toward the home I looked back over my shoulder toward the water. I don't think that's the last I'll be seeing of my sister.

* * *

**Neru POV**

Len unlocked the door and held it open for Rin and I. As soon as she was in, Rin happily flopped herself onto the couch. Either Len, or I should have scolded her for getting the furniture wet, but I would let it pass for now. Len didn't seemed that concerned either, so really there wasn't a point. I sighed and tossed my soaked towel into the laundry room next to the kitchen. Len did the same with his and Rin's.

"I still think it's a bad idea to keep her here." I said to Len as he passed. He sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"Jeez, Neru, maybe you _are_ jealous." He said. I flushed.

"I am _not_jealous! Stop saying that!" I shouted, stomping my foot. I hated when he and Mikuo did that.

"Relax, Neru. I was just kidding."

"Stop doing that! I hate it!" I said, crossing my arms.

"I know and that's why I say it." He smirked. "Anyway, as I've said before there's nothing we can do about it. Unless I see someone making an effort to look for her, I'm not doing shit." He said firmly.

"Why are you so set on this? I mean we don't even know the girl." I leaned against the wall, looking toward Rin who was toying around with the TV remote. She jumped when she found the power button.

"I....don't know." He admitted, with a shrug. "Maybe it's the nice part of me."

"You mean the part that's not a smartass?" I asked with a smirk.

"Bingo." He said with a smile.

Ugh, he was such a dork!

"Well...I'm going to get a shower. Since I was so rudely pulled in." I said, pushing off the wall.

"Come on, Rin." I motioned for the girl to follow. She sprang up from the couch and practically skipped to me.

"What do you need her for?" Len asked, raising his brow. I rolled my eyes.

"Uh, duh. She needs a bath too."

"So you're taking one....together?" He smirked.

"Oh, stop being such a boy." I made a face. Pervert... "Besides, I don't trust her to take one by herself." I eyed her, but Rin only gave me a smile. Which was her response to everything it seemed. She was a strange little thing. She acted as if she'd never been outside before. Judging by how we found her, maybe that was true. Len was set on some sort of amnesia theory, but I doubted someone could forget how to do everything entirely.

This was like one of those weird animes that Mikuo liked to watch.....Weirdo.

My opinion really didn't seem to matter however, since Len was determined to play hero and let her crash here. It wasn't my place to kick her out, even if I wanted to. Yeah, I'll admit it, the girl was starting to grow on me. Maybe that started after she said I was cute...No one had ever said that to me before. It felt...nice. Even when it was coming from someone who probably didn't even know the meaning of the word.

Really she was growing on everyone, even though we'd only known her a day. I only hope that she really had someone looking for her out there.

"Come on, Rin." I said, taking her arm. She followed me willingly. As we entered the hallway I heard Len mutter something about getting clean himself. Good. I didn't like the smell of salt water. Living near it was bad enough without that beach bum bringing it inside. I pulled Rin into the larger bathroom of the house and shut the door. After a bit of consideration I locked it. What? I had a right to prevent perversion, right? Especially when Mikuo was home....He once had the audacity to be a peeping tom and got what he deserved for it. A kick to the groin. He was in the fetal position for 20 minutes. Heheheh.

I pulled open the door to the shower and turned the hot and cold nozzles. I gave a few more turns to the hot one however. It was alright for us both to be in this shower. It was large enough to fit four people comfortably. I shut the door to prevent any water getting on the floor, and looked over my shoulder. Rin was at the counter in front of the mirror, studying some make-up items that belonged to me. I wondered what she could be thinking about. A girl who suddenly grabs another girl's chest without warning or reason must have a weird thought process, right?

"Hey," I called, "Take the suit off." She turned to me, and set the make-up back down on the counter.

"Off?" She asked. I nodded. "Off." She said again with a nod. She tugged the bikini top from her body and tossed it lazily to the ground.

"At least use the hamper..." I muttered with a sigh as she did the same to the bottoms. Those were tossed to the floor too.

"Off!" She chirped, bouncing a little.

"Yeah, yeah, you got naked. What do you want, a cookie?" I rolled my eyes. She smiled again. Damn it. I sighed again, and removed my suit as well, properly tossing it into the clothes hamper. After watching me do this, she picked up her discarded suit and copied me, putting them into the hamper.

"You're a fast learner." I said sarcastically. She only smiled.

After persuading Rin that the shower wasn't going to eat her, I helped her get clean. As I thought she hadn't the slightest idea of what to do with soap, or shampoo. That's probably why her hair smelled so sharply of ocean water. Ugh! I had to use the conditioner twice to get rid of most of the tangles in that forest of hair she had. I got it to straighten out though. It would probably hurt when I got a brush through it.

When I was finished with her hair, I washed out my own, having to stop every few minutes to keep Rin from eating the soap, or groping me again. Finally I shut off the water and told the girl to wait while I got her a towel. She did as I told her surprisingly, staying in the shower while I grabbed two towels from the rack. I dried myself and my hair off as much as I could before gesturing for Rin to come out. She did, literally hopping out of the shower and almost falling. I made her stay still while I dried her off, and then mussed the towel on her head, drying out her hair. She struggled at that point, not liking the rough drying process, but I held her still. Cause I'm awesome like that.

I wrapped a towel around her and myself before tugging us both out of the bathroom and into my room across the hall. I dug into my suitcase as Rin examined herself in the full-length mirror. She spent a lot time looking at her legs for some reason. I pulled on some random outfit of jeans and a T-shirt before pulling out something simple for Rin. I didn't want her in any of my good clothes lest she ruin them. So I pulled out a yellow tank top I didn't really like. It was from my aunt Lola who never knows how to give good Christmas presents. I set this on the bed before pulling out a pair of faded blue jeans and appropriate underwear. Then I got Rin's attention.

"You," I said pointing at her, and she turned, "here." I pointed at the spot in front of me. She left the mirror and was only a little resistant as I helped her dress. Of course she had to examine the bra I put on her for a few minutes before she let me put on the rest. Weirdo.

Once she was settled, I opened the door for her to leave if she wanted. But she just sat on the bed and watched as I plugged a blow dryer into the wall and began the dreaded task of drying out my hair. Maybe I should cut it?

But I dried it, slowly but surely, pulling a brush through it as I worked. After a while Rin was beside me in the mirror, eyeing the blow dryer with a puzzled expression. I smirked and pointed the hot air at her face. She jumped back, clearly surprised. Then she leaned back in, taking the thing and pointing it at her again. She held her hands against it, like it was some sort of bonfire. I rolled my eyes and sat her down in front of my vanity mirror. To her amusement I dried out her hair as well. It was surprisingly straight when it was dry. But something about her appearance still bugged me. I stared at her for a long while after her hair was dry. She had this weird thing about touching her face when I looked at her, I noticed. But finally I figured it out.

I took a few black hair clips from my hair accesory box and pinned the hair that dangle in her face out of her eyes. There. That was better. I motioned for her to look in the mirror. She did, and when did her eyes widened a little to my amusement. She combed her fingers through her hair several time, smiling.

"I am amazing, right?" I asked with smile.

"Cute." She chirped. Facepalm.

"Hey! Someone wanna give me a hand here?!" I heard a familiar voice shout from the living room. Ah, Mikuo was back after fulfilling his womanly duties. Huzzah....

"Do it yourself you lazy idiot!" I shouted, exiting the room. Rin bouncing behind me. He was struggling to hold the door open, holding too many bags in his hands.

"You're such a bitch." He muttered, closing the door with his foot and walking to the kitchen.

"That's "Miss" Bitch to you." I said with a smirk.

"Well alright then _Miss_ Bitch." Len said smugly, exiting his room, rubbing a towel through his wet hair.

"Len!" Rin exclaimed, bounding over to the boy and glomping him.

"Well well. You look nice." He replied, lightly patting her head as not to mess up her hair.

"Thanks to me." I said, placing my hands on my hips, in a proud stance.

"Pfft." Len sniggered to my annoyance.

"Knock it off..." I mumbled, not amused. Instantly Rin snapped her eyes to me.

"Off?" She repeated. Her hands flew to the hem of her tank top with intent on pulling it off. I quickly grabbed her hands to stop her.

"No! No off!" I said. Len and Mikuo both stared at us while Rin stared surprised at me.

Then she smiled again.

Weirdo.

* * *

**AN- I dare you to try and guess how many words this chapter was D=  
I'll give you a hint: A lot.**

**Yeah I'll admit. Neru is starting to grow on me a little. I listened to her version of Tsuman-ne and I was all "Yus please."  
I'm actually trying to make her a good guy in this fic since in most fics she's the bad guy.**

**Reviews keep this fic going people :3**


	8. The Suspicion

**An- Oh, what? An update? Guess I've got writers block again.**

**OH YEAH**

**By the way, this story's Len is featured in a new story here on FF. It's called "House of Kagamine" and it's a collab with me and a bunch of others! Read it yo! :3**

* * *

It's been a week and a half, and still Rin is here. I still haven't seen any hints of someone looking for her. No news reports. No ads in the paper. No missing person posters on signs or outside of shops....Or (to Mikuo's dissapointment) reports of a missing patient from a ward. So as I promised, I'm not doin' shit. As far as I'm concerned, Rin can stay here as long as she wants to. I didn't think the other's minded either. She's really become one of the group in a short amount of time. She amused me....greatly.

Her language skills were getting better too. She no longer tried to take off her clothes whenever someone said the word 'off.' Though that was an amusing couple of days.

There were a few things, however, that had to change with her staying. For example. I no longer had a bed. No, it wasn't _my_ bed anymore. It wasn't _my_ room anymore. It was _our_ room. Because frankly, Rin wouldn't sleep in any other place. In addition, she wouldn't let me sleep anywhere else either. Truthfully I didn't really care. It wasn't as bad as it may sound. She stayed on her side most of the time. Only one morning did I wake up with her in my personal bubble.

Right, my room. No wait. _Our_ room. Her stuff was in there now. Well....really not her stuff. Just her clothes. Neru eventually got tired of lending out her clothes and bought Rin a whole new wardrobe herself. We used the money my loving father left us, of course. Not like we needed as much as he left. Fuckin' work-aholic bastard.

Anyway, as long as Rin kept her clothes on her side of the closet, I didn't care. There wasn't much that I did care about really. Which probably is a bad thing. But I didn't care about that either.

Another slightly annoying thing was Rin's cluelessness to simple tasks. Even...cough...._personal_ things. Good thing Neru was around to help her out with those things. We decided that if Rin was going to stay here, she needed to pull her weight like everyone else. It was made final that she was to clean up the floors once every four days. The first time she did it we had to show her what to do. She was so strange. She looked like she liked cleaning the floor. Strange indeed. But then she ended up making a mess with the water. Understandable, but at least let us know before someone slips and falls.

It's not funny. It hurts. Really bad.

Last but not least, the most annoying thing about Rin staying here was Mikuo's incesant flirting with her. I'm not joking. He does it. All. The. Time. It's not right I tell you. Alright, given he doesn't do it directly to her, because of the whole 'she doesn't speak japanese' thing. But he's done and said many things that hint at his advances. Freakin' moron needs to learn to keep it in his pants for once. Like he could even get to Rin like that when I or Neru was around....Not that _I'm_ interested in the little weirdo or anything. I mean she's cute, yeah, but I don't really think of relationships much. I've just seen the way Mikuo is with girls. It wouldn't be right for me to let him take advantage of her, right?

Plus if I didn't do anything, Neru would. She's gone from Tsundere to Tsundere with older sister instincts. She's even gotten Rin to start calling her "Neru-onee."

...I've never understood honerifics. Which is why I don't use them. There's no polite, friendly, formal crap here. The way I see it, if I like you I'll call you by your name. If not well then I don't really give a shit what your name is. Is that bad? Eh, I don't care...

"Still nothing?"

I shrugged my shoulders and flipped off the news to a different channel. Some comdey show was on. This would do for a while.

"Nope. No new missing person reports." I said.

"Hmm." Mikuo set his feet on the table in front of the couch and reclined against the back. "That's weird."

"Not really." I said. "Lots of people get abandoned."

"Yeah, but Rin seems like a special case, don't you think?"

"I guess. But it doesn't change the fact that no one seems to want her back. Though, she is a little troublesome."

"Nah, she's just....learning." Mikuo defended. I rolled my eyes.

I heard the click of my bedroom door open and close. Both Mikuo and I turned to see Rin walk out, holding a book in her hands. She was staring at it with a look of severe confusion. Neither of us said anything as she passed through the living room and into the hallway toward Neru's room.

"Is she trying to read?" Mikuo asked. I shrugged.

"I dunno."

"AH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS?!" Neru's scream echoed through the whole house. Mikuo and I looked at each other before getting up from the couch.

"What's your problem, Neru?" I called upon reaching her doorway. She had Rin laying on the bed on her stomach, and Neru herself sat on her back. Rin was obviously in slight pain or discomfort. Neru held the book in her right hand, holding it away from Rin who was trying to grab it.

"The little worm stole my diary!" She shouted, pushing Rin's face into the matress with her left hand. The girl immediantly began to flail in attempt to get Neru off of her.

"Is that what that is?" Mikuo asked with a smirk. "You have a diary, Neru?" He snickered.

"Well....Just think of it this way. Either I take out my frustrations on it, or you."

"If it's sexual frustration then I'm game." He replied. I slapped my palm to my face.

"Len-kun, would you please?" Neru said, looking blankly at me.

"Got it." I muttered.

"Got wha-? OW!!" Mikuo shouted and clutched the back of his head where I'd smacked him.

"That was from her." I said. "Now come on, Neru, smothering Rin isn't going to solve anything. Especially when she can't even _read_ your diary."

"But-! She should still-! I-I mean-!"

"Neru...." I warned. With a sigh Neru removed herself from her victim. Rin lifted her face from the bed with a deep intake of needed air. She then sent an angry look toward the other blonde girl, which wasn't really that effective since she was cute when she glared. It was like that Pokemon game.

Wild Neru appeared.

Go, Rin!

Rin used 'Glare.'

It's not very effective.

Neru uses 'Facebed.'

It's super effective!

Until the world's most awesome trainer, Kagamine Len, steps in. Booyah....

Pkmn Trainer Len intervines.

Wild Neru fled.

Well...sort of.

"C'mon, Rin, stop bugging Neru before she throws another tantrum." I said. She instantly hopped off the bed and bounded to my side. She really was like a Pokemon....Maybe I should paint little red circles on her cheeks..She'd look cute with a lightning-bolt tail.

"I'm not having a tantrum," Neru mumbled, "She envaded my personal space."

"She envades everyone's personal space," Mikuo laughed, "it's her thing." As if to confirm this statement, Rin clung onto my arm. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever...go away. I have to rehide this thing." Neru grumbled, shooing us with her hands. I shrugged and stepped back into the hallway. Rin stuck close to me of course, trotting alongside me as I headed back into the living room. Behind me I heard the struggles of Mikuo getting shoved out of the room before the door slammed. I snickered a little, hearing Mikuo mutter to himself.

"Len. Book. Rin, book?" Rin mumbled, tugging on my sleeve. I raised a brow as I looked at her.

"You want a book?"

"Book. Rin, book. Rin....Rin....see book." She stumbled, speaking more with her hands than her mouth.

"See a book?...You mean, _read_ a book?" I asked. She shrugged. A habit she'd picked up from Mikuo. She kept a grip on my sleeve as we entered into the living room, and whined a bit.

"Rin, you can't even speak. How are you going to read a book?" She tilted her head to the side in confusion. Well, I guess I'd have to dumb it down.

"Um...Rin no speak. So no read book." I explained. She seemed to understand that, and pouted a bit. I sent a glare at Mikuo who was giggling at my attempt at Rin-speak. What the hell was _he _laughing at? It's not funny.

"Len, see book?" She asked, grabbing my face and forcing me to look back at her. Her eyes were narrowed a bit in a serious look.

"Me? Why?" It was a little hard to talk with her squishing my cheeks between her hands.

"Len. See. Book......" She repeated, "See book. Rin?" Oh, I see.

"You want me to read to you? No way." I told her, releasing her grip from my face. She pouted again.

"Len!" She whined, dragging out my name.

"No. I'm not gonna teach you to read." I told her. It's hard enough teaching her to talk! How the hell am I gonna teach her to read when she barely understands ten words of Japanese? Well here's a lesson: Can you say "pain in the ass?"

"Dude, you're such an asshole." Mikuo laughed, plopping himself back onto the couch. I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I'm an asshole, ok. Who's the one who's letting the girl stay in house free of charge?!

"Len! Book."

"No."

"Yes." Ah, that new word. She liked to use that one a lot. Everytime she heard the word no.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No! No! No!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Oh, that sounded wrong coming from her.

"That's what she said." Mikuo muttered. Funny because that _is _what she said.

"No times infinity!"

"Yes!" I take a deep breath.

"...No." She stomped her foot and made a small angry noise.

Rin used 'Tantrum.' It's not very effective....I've got to stop playing Pokemon.

"Douchebag." Mikuo mumbled.

"Look who's talking." I shot back.

"Len....Book...." Rin tried again. She didn't sound angry that I'd denied her anymore. Instead she sounded a little like she was pleading. If she knew the word she'd probably would have said 'please.' Not like saying things like that would make me change my answer. I sighed and scratched the back of my head.

"Why are you so interested in books all of a sudden?" I mumbled. It was then she got a small sparkle in her azure coloured eyes and a smile tugged on her lips. It seems that what I said translated into "Yes, Rin. Which book do you want me to read you?" because she grabbed my hand and began pulling me into my bedroom. I allowed it since whatever she did wouldn't make me want to read to her anyway.

She dragged me to the bookshelf, then released me. Instantly she snatched a rather large, brown book from the top shelf, having to stand on her toes to reach it of course. I knew which book this was, but I hadn't even touched that book since I was like...six. She opened the thing in her arms, and began flipping through worn, and slightly torn pages, passing large text passages, and colourfully painted pictures of beautifully dressed men and women. Some even of demons, or monsters. When, finally, she reached the page she wanted, she held it out to show me. On the yellowing pages were a few short little paragraphs of a story that would be continued on the following 12 pages, and the familiar art style I'd studied in my childhood. The paintings were of one of my favorite mythilogical creatures. Mermaids. One one page was a child mermaid, and on the next was a picture of the same creature as an adult.

"Book. See this book, Len? This?" Rin rambled, pointing at the mermaid on the paper. I shrugged a little.

"Yeah, that's one of the oldest stories in the world." I said dryly. "Don't tell me no one ever told you stories when you were little." I laughed a bit, shoving my hands into the pockets of my shorts. She said nothing, which I should of seen coming, but shook the book a bit in my face.

I snatched the book and looked over it. I could remember when my mother would read me these little stories from this book before she died. Like a preacher reading from the Bible to a wide-awake, and attentive church. Me sitting in the front pew. I used to love hearing the stories from this collection of old fairy tales. But, after Mom died, I...really didn't feel like touching it.

"This?" Rin asked, pointing to the picture again. She had a weird expression on her face. Like a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

"Um...It's called 'The Little Mermaid.' " I told her, batting her hand away. But her pointer finger returned to the picture.

"This?" She said a little more sternly.

"That's the mermaid."

"Mermaid?"

"...Yes?" I slowly raised a brow. What the hell was she getting at? Gosh, she was weird. Finally she looked at the picture book in my arms, and frowned. Deeply. She grabbed the book and slapped it closed. I winced a bit, seeing it treated so roughly. Rin stuffed it back onto the shelf next to her little box, and shook her head.

"No."

"No?" Why did she make me echo her all the damn time?

"No mermaids. Mermaids no here." She said, making an X with her arms.

"Uh...Yes, I know. There's no such thing as mermaids. What's wrong with you?" I asked, giving her a look. She blinked a few times before taking a deep breath. She let her arms fall to her sides. "Interested in mermaids?" I asked. She frowned again and grabbed my hands.

"No mermaids." She whispered with the most serious expression I've ever seen on a person's face before. I nodded.

"I know." I repeated. There was an uncomfortable silence between us, yet I couldn't look away from her face. It was like she was trying to tell me something with her eyes that she couldn't with her mouth.

"Oi! Len!" I heard Mikuo call from the other room, "Telephone!"

I hadn't even heard it ring....But thank God for small favors. Especially when it gets you out of an awkward silence. I pried her fingers from my hands, telling her I would be right back before I left the room, toward the sight of Mikuo swinging the phone up and down to the beat of a song playing on the television. Idiot.

I snatched the phone from him and pressed it against my ear, not surprised to find it cold.

"What?" I snapped. My usual greeting.

"...Do you always answer the phone like that, or is it just because you knew it was me?" I heard the rough voice on the other end sigh. Oh, what a lovely surprise.

"Why? It should make you feel special that you have your own special greeting."

"Don't be smart with me." He snapped. I rolled my eyes. _Then you stop being dumb with me_ is what I wanted to say. But I bit my tongue.

"What's up?" I asked, plopping onto the couch.

"I'm just calling to check up on you."

"That's it?"

"What? A father can't check to see how his son and his friends are doing?"

"Well, maybe that father should be home to _know_ how his only offspring is doing." I said with bitter sweetness to my voice. Sending a look toward Mikuo, he shook his head with a dissapointed expression. I knew most people didn't like the way I treated my dad, but they didn't know how much of an ass he could be. Especially when he hadn't had a cigerrette in a while. He sighed into the reciever again.

"Alright, I'm also calling to tell you I'll be home this afternoon."

"You will?"

"Yeah. Short vacation."

"How short?"

"A day or two."

"....That is short."

"Yeah. So I'll see you later, ok?"

"Whatever..." I said and punched the 'off' button.

* * *

**Rin POV**

I watched Len leave the bedroom, my frown still in place. I hope he got what I was telling him..

How could he have such a thing on his bookshelf? I thought the humans had no idea of our existance! I mean, geez! For all I know that book could hold all the secrets on my species in it! And it's just sitting there on the shelf pretending to be all....non threatning and everything. Were there other copies of this book? How many people have read it? How many people now believed in my people? For every pair of eyes that saw that picture was a new threat to my family.

I only wish that I could read it. Or that Len had read it to me at least....Even if I couldn't understand a word. Heh...Oh, the horrors of learning another language. I had a few words down, sure, but I still had a lot more to go.

Hestitantly, I followed behind Len into the next room. I found him on the couch (or whatever it was called) with some odd object pressed to his ear. I guess there was someone inside the thing, because he was talking into it. Ordinarily I would have asked about it, but I felt that I shouldn't intterupt his conversation. Especially with that expression on his face. He looked a little scary. With what sounded like final word to whoever was inside that thing he was holding he pushed something that made a loud 'beep' sound.

He put the thing on the table in front of him and sighed heavily.

**"What did your dad want?"** Mikuo asked.

**"He's coming home for a few days." **

**"Oh.....Oh! Geez! What are we gonna do about **Rin?**"** My head popped up upon hearing my name. Was I involved with something? Why did Mikuo sound so panicked? Did they know that I knew that they knew about me?! Were they planning to get rid of me? Or were they going to put me through those experiments that Father always told me about?!

**"Don't worry about it. Like I said, I don't care about my father's opinion."** Len said casually. Ok now I was confused again. Would he speak so casually about my demise?

**"That's nice." **

**"When have you ever known me to be nice?" **

"Touche..."

"Touche!" I echoed. I don't know why, but I liked that word. It was fun to say. I had no idea what it meant, but it was fun to say. Len merely rolled his eyes, apparently used to my behavior. Mikuo, however, raised a brow. I smiled innocently, and he shrugged.

**"Well....how are we gonna explain her?"**

**"How else? The truth. We tell him we found her on the beach."**

**"Alright, man, if you say so."**

**"Don't worry. It'll be fine."**

Alright, I was sure they weren't talking about getting rid of me...But something was up.

* * *

**AN- You should all be able to tell who Len's dad is....by that one little hint. If you can, you just lost 50 Vocaloid points.....and the game =D**


	9. The Discovery

**AN- Lawlwhut? A chapter that's actually relevant to the plot?**

* * *

When I told Neru that my dad was coming home for a few days she practically freaked out. She sent Mikuo to clean the kitchen while she straightened the bed and bath rooms, and put me on laundry duty. Rin, of course, was in charge of the floors and windows if she could handle it. I guess since my dad was...well my _dad_, she felt like we should be more grateful about him letting her and Mikuo stay in the house for the summer. At least when he was around.

That or she was kissing up. Either way, it meant work, and Mikuo and I could either do as she said, or sleep in the yard. Call me crazy, but I'd really rather not have a bunch of sand fleas chewing on my ass while I'm asleep. Better to just go along with it, even if I held no respect for my father...What? He brought that on himself.

Anyway, Neru worked us like dogs.

"Clean this!"

"Fold that!"

"No Rin, don't lick the lemon Pledge off the table!"

...She did anyway. Spent five minutes trying to help her get the taste out of her mouth. I imagine it didn't taste as good as it smelled. Gotta hand it to her, though. Not even Mikuo has the balls to eat lemon Pledge.

But after everything she could think of was done, we still had things to do. Like picking up old towels and garbage off the porch, checking over Rin's work, and then cooking dinner. If there's any chore I hate it's cooking. Why? Because if it weren't for microwaves, I would starve. That's right. Kagamine Len can not cook.

Kagamine Len can achieve burning cereal.

Kagamine Len doesn't know the difference between TBS and TSP.

Kagamine Len likes to think those are channels on the TV and people are screwing him over with abreviations.

...Kagamine Len also likes to think in third person.

"Len!"

It also appears that Kagamine Len is being paged.

"What?" I asked, having come back into the hall after putting away some clean clothes. Neru sighed and shook her head, and yet again surprising me as to how that ponytail of hers didn't cause her balance to tip.

"She's at it again." She mumbled, nodding into the living room. I only groaned, and pushed past her into the area.

"Rin!" I said sharply in a scolding tone. Said blonde instantly snapped her gaze up at me, as she did whenever her name was called, and gave me the most innocent of looks. She was sitting on the couch, her bucket of cleaning water set on the floor beside it, and the telephone in her hand. From it I could hear a loud dial tone.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to play with the phone?" I asked rhetorically as I approached her. She looked between me and the phone for a moment before holding it out to me. For some reason I hadn't been able to keep her away from this phone. She's been listening into it, pressing buttons, shaking, and even tried to open it up. Everytime I'd hang it back on the receiver, she'd find a way to sneak back into the kitchen and swipe it. It's not like she could do much damage with it, I just don't want her to accidentally dial the cops or something like that. I mean, think about it. Someone calls the police and when they answer, they get no response...Or maybe one of the random ass words that Rin actually knows? Yeah, guess what that means. Guardians are in trouble for letting her play with the phone.

Plus all this was running up the phone bill. Not that I should mind since Dad made enough so that we could leave the lights on year round and still have enough money to go on a freakin' cruise...But still. I didn't need cops coming around where we might get in trouble for keeping Rin. Given, it's a stupid idea to keep her anyway, but...It didn't feel right to let who ever lost her get her back and possibly "lose" her again in a more dangerous place. I mean, she's like a naked baby in the woods. Completely helpless. What kind of guy would I be to turn her in?

So I took the phone from her, and gave her a long look.

"No?" She asked finally, pointing at the phone. I nodded, and she bit the inside of her cheek. I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath.

"Are you done with the floors?" I asked, pointing at the bucket full of soapy water.

"Yes." She replied.

"Are you telling the truth or are you just randomly agreeing?"

"Yes."

"...So you cleaned the floors?"

"Yes."

"Do you like eating sand?"

"Yes."

"Do you kick puppies for a living?"

"Yes."

"Can you say anything else?"

"Yes."

"Wanna try it?"

"...No?"

I slapped my palm to my face. I couldn't wait for the day when Rin actually began to understood the conversations we had.

"Go finish." I told her, handing her the bucket. She pouted a bit, but obeyed, heading into my room to clean the floors there.

"She's so clueless sometimes..." I muttered as she closed the door behind her.

"_Sometimes?_" Neru scoffed from behind me, causing me to jump a bit as she had surprised me, "Try _all_ the time."

"_Jeez_, Neru, what are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?" I yelled, before taking a deep breath. She only smirked, raised a brow, and then jerked her thumb in the direction behind her.

"Get in the kitchen." She said.

"But-"

"Go!"

"Bitch..." I mumbled as I obeyed, and as I passed her, she lifted one of her legs in a skillful enough manner that her foot kicked me in the ass. Bitch...

* * *

**Rin**

I huffed as I set down my bucket and water on the floor and got onto my hands and knees. I pulled the soaked, and bubbly cloth out of the cleaning water and squeezed the access liquid out of it. I set it against the ground, and slowly began to wash the wooden flooring. I had been shown an easier way to do this, but it involved a weird stance where you set the cloth on the floor while your legs are still up and simply running the cloth across the floor. I tried it, but I'd fall every time. This way was slower...but less painful.

"Day number nine," I mumbled to myself in my own language. I'd been keeping a vocalized diary which was the best kind since no one here could neither read it nor understand me, "I have once again failed to save the little man inside the thing Len calls a phone. He seems intent on keeping him in there for some reason. That must be why he was wearing such a scary expression when he was talking to him earlier..."

I continued my little monologue, noting random things as I wiped the dirt from the floor and transferred it into the bucket of water. Len's room wasn't as messy as the rest of the cave- er...house. House, right? Yeah, house. Once I reached the shelves of books I paused and took a peek up at the large tattered one next to the box that held my essence. Ignoring the fact that my hands were soaked, I grabbed it and flipped it open again. I wiped access water off my hands onto my shirt before touching the pages. Finding the correct page, I simply stared at the detailed and colourful drawing of one of my species. This maid was rather beautiful...but incorrect. The tail was all wrong, and what kind of idiot thinks that we wear shells as a bra? The cloth ones up here are uncomfortable enough; I couldn't imagine using shells...

Still...these pictures meant that they had some idea of our existence. Maybe having caught rare glances of us in the ocean and because of the distortion thought we looked this way. The humans were smarter than we expected. Smarter...or more observant...Probably a mixture of both. I suddenly felt like ripping this page out of the book but...nothing would change if I did. Instead I turned through the pages, skipping over the story on my people and focusing on other stories with more creatures the humans thought they knew about.

Small men with pick-axes, ugly women with crooken noses stiring large black bowls, tiny and cute little girls with wings. Either there were more mysterious about life up here, or the humans were very imaginative...

Suddenly a loud crash came from the next room and in my shock the book leapt from my hands and landed into the bucket. I instantly dove in to retreive it as shouting followed the shatter. The water ran in a thin stream from the absorbing pages and made small puddles on the floor. I began to panic and set the book on the bottom self before rushing into Len's bathroom and grabbing a towel. They always got the water off of my skin when it was wet so I figured it would do the same with the book. I quickly went back to grab the book and wrapped it in the towel as tightly as I could. As I attempted to correct my mistake I heard footsteps and the three voices of my housemates talking together.

Neru as usual sounded annoyed, and Mikuo sounded defensive (also usual). As they fought I dried off the book the best I could but even when I removed the towel it was still damp, and the pages were already distorting.

Len...was going to kill me.

The click of the door opening made me jump and stuff the book behind my back. Len shouted something at Neru over his shoulder before turning his attention to his room. And he paused.

I can only imagine the scene from his point of view. A puddle of water on the floor next to a bucket and wash cloth, a damp towel laying on the edge of the bed, and me standing there looking extremely guilty. My face burned with either fear or embarrassment at being caught in the act, or maybe it was both. I watched his eyes move from the towel, to the bucket, to where my hands were, then to meet my own eyes.

"Rin," he said in a gentle tone, "**what do you have behind your back?**" Of course I didn't understand, but he pointed at me and raised one of his brows. So I shook my head, and then he shut the door. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me an accusing look.

"Rin, **tell me the truth.**" I shook my head again. He only sighed and started towards me, and I tried to run away cluthing the ruined book to my chest but he caught me around the waist and lifted me off the ground.

"No!" I whined as I struggled in his grasp and held the book away from him at the same time. My efforts were wasted, however, when he managed to reach it anyway. He held me off as I tried to grab it back, but it was already too late. He felt the book, look at the towel again, and then at the puddle. Then he looked at me.

"**Did you drop **this **in the water?**" He said, and I backed up and looked down at the puddle I now stood in, ashamed. Sneaking a peek up at him, he was staring back at the book, turning through the pages with a longing expression. I remembered how fondly he had held that book earlier and more guilt piled onto my shoulders. Oh, what have I done?

He picked up the towel as well.

"**You tried to dry it off too, huh?**" He mumbled, and bit my lip afraid he was going to yell at me. But he didn't. Instead he closed the book and draped the towel over his shoulder. He walked toward me, but then turned to the book shelves and placed the book next to my box. When he leaned back up he looked at me, and lifted his hand. I flinched, thinking he was going to hit me, but I relaxed as soon as I felt his fingers threading through my hair.

"**It's fine. Don't worry about it.**" He said with a smile as he pet me. I felt tears rising in my eyes. He was obviously forgiving me, and yet...I couldn't even tell him I was sorry and that it was an accident.

"Yell?"

"No. **I'm not going to **yell **at you.**"

No? Not even a little? That was your book, wasn't it, Len? Didn't I ruin it? Aren't you at least a little upset, Len? It's ok to scold me a little, you know? Mother and Father and my sisters scold me all the time, even for the heck of it! So, if you're mad, go ahead and scold me.

This is what I wanted to tell him.

ARGH! DARN THESE LANGUAGE BARRIERS!

Instead, I flung my arms around him and cried a little against his shoulder. I think I caught him off guard because he jumped. But then I felt him put one arm around me and pat my head again.

"**Hey, I said I wasn't mad. **No** need to cry about it.**" If I didn't feel so guilty I would have laughed at the tone his voice held. He sounded like he really wasn't sure what he should do to console me. I knew I needed to pull myself together, but I just felt so guilty. If someone had ruined one of my things (especially one that seemed so precious) I'd be furious.

But also...having him hold me like this...even if he was just trying to get me to calm down...it felt nice. This was the reason I came up here. This was my reason for battling language barriers, and confusing objects, and the pain in my legs, and the dreaded pans on the stove that looked so shiny that you want to touch them but before you can Mikuo hits your hand with a spoon and shoos you out of the room.

As an idea came to me, I pulled away from him and turned toward the book shelf. I picked up my box and took the necklace out of it and hung in around my neck for safe keeping. I closed the blue box again, and then held it out to Len for him to take. This would be my apology present. Something precious of mine for something precious of his. This box was the only thing that protected the small sphere filled with the yellow smoke that was my true genetics. It signified the day we met, the day I first saw him in the reef, the day I learned his name. It was as important as what was it's contents.

Len looked at the box, then at me, confused.

"Here." I told him, urging him to take it.

"**You...want me to have **this?" He pointed at the box and I nodded and held it out closer.

"This. Len's." As I said this his eyes sparked with realization and I nearly sighed in releif. He understood this token of apology at least. His hand reached out and I prepared for the weight of the box to be lifted from my hands, but he surprised me yet again as he pushed the box back toward me.

"**You keep it**." He mumbled. I stared at him, puzzled for a moment, before trying to give him the box again. He again, gave it back.

"Rin's." He told me, and I sighed, realizing he wasn't going to take it. He would accept my silent apology...but not my physical one. Oh, this boy will never understand how confused he makes me...I set the box back on the shelf next to the now ruined book, and huffed. He only smiled at me, and patted my head again.

"**You'll never understand how confused you make me sometimes.**" He mumbled, but I didn't understand anything in the wording. After a moment, Len took the towel from his shoulder and used it to dry the puddle on the floor, including the parts that had gotten on my feet when I had stood in it. He tossed it into the basket in his bathroom and picked up my bucket. He motioned for me to follow him into the living room, and I obeyed.

The glass that had covered one of the pictures on the wall was scattered across the floor. On top of the televsion was the picture itself, having been removed from it's casing. I guess it had fallen off the wall or something and broke. Stupid picture. You made me drop Len's book in the water. It's all your fault, and I expect you to take full responsibility! So in compensation, I'm going to rip you up!

I let out a surprised squeek as Len suddenly picked me up, hooking his arm under my knees, and the other around my back (he had set down my bucket on the table). I held on to him as he carried me over the peices of glass and brought me to the counter where he sat me on one of the moving chairs.

"Rin. Here." He told me pointing at the chair. "**I don't want you to step in glass and hurt yourself, so stay right **here." Len waited until I nodded before taking off down the hallway. Behind me in the kitchen, I could hear Neru messing around with those blasted pots and pans, making dinner and hissing at Mikuo at the same time.

"Idiot. **I told you not to throw the sponge, and what do you do? You throw it anyway. And now we have a broken picture frame and glass all over the place.**" She mumbled, putting something green into the pot.

"**Well, if you wouldn't have sprayed me with the sink hose, I wouldn't have to retaliate.**" He said, cutting up more green things and handing them to her.

"**Maybe if you weren't such an **Idiot** I wouldn't have to mess with you in the first place.**"

"Neru, **you and I both know that you mess with me because you want me.**"

"**Don't make me vomit.**"

"**There's lots of other things I can make you do, if you prefer.**" Whatever he said, it made Neru hit him with a spoon.

HAH! HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW, MIKUO? Not so fun when the spoons hitting _you_ is it?

"**Pervert!**"

"DING!" I exclaimed.

"**Not in the mood for your shenanigans, **Rin."Neru said, waving me off.

Gosh darn it. When am I going to get some action out of these people?

"**I'm gonna pistol whip the next guy that says shenanigans!**" I heard Len yell from the closet in the hall. Whatever he said it made Mikuo burst into laughter. Neru only sighed and turned back to her cooking.

Len came back into the living room with an odd thing. A stick with a buch of dried grass on the end. But he used it to push all the peices of glass into a pan and he dumped it in the trash. I know glass was sharp, and that it would probably hurt, but I kind of wanted to know what it felt like to cut my foot...Because I actually _had_ a foot. Kihihihi~

Once Len had finished getting all the glass up, he put away the stick and came back into the living room to sit next me at the counter. He spoke to Neru for a moment, before looking at me, and I blinked several times in a questioning manner. Then his eyes lowered somewhere on my chest, and he tilted his head to the side. I followed his gaze and found I still had my necklace on. I had forgotten to put it back in the box.

* * *

**Len**

"So," I said, "this is what you've been hiding in that box?"

I think her hand moved the minute mine did. I reached out toward the string of jewelry, only to be caught in Rin's grip. She wrapped her fingers tightly around my wrist, pausing me, and it surprised me a little. I think she noticed that because her grip loosened, and she blushed. I moved to pull away, thinking she obviously didn't want me touching it, but she held on to me.

"Careful. This." She said, touching the small necklace with her free hand. I snorted.

"Yeah, Rin, because I'm totally going to smash it open." I told her, sarcastically of course. She gave me a hard look.

"Len..." She said in a warning tone.

"Yes, I understand. Careful I shall be. I just wanted to look is all." With that she let go of my wrist and I continued my previous objective and took the charm of the necklace between my fingers. The glass ball was smooth, a little scratched, but looked rather pretty. The contents were one I'd never seen in a necklace before. I mean, I've seen necklaces with water, or coloured liquid in them, but they were usually vials and meant to look like that. I'd never seen them put it in a glass orb before. Nor had a found one that made it look so much like smoke swirling around inside. It looked pretty cool, and it was my favorite colour too. Yellow.

"Is this thing important to you?" I asked her.

"Careful." She replied.

"I'm being careful, aren't I?" I meant it to come out as a snap, but it left my mouth as more of a drone. Jeez, she was protective of this thing. I guess that's why she wanted me to have that box she kept it in after dropping my book in the water. I'll admit, I was a little angry with her for that considering it was _that_ book, but there's nothing I can do about it now. Besides, it wasn't completely ruined. At least she had tried to fix her mistake.

"So, did your parents give this to you or something?" I mumbled, knowing I wouldn't get an answer out of her anyway. Obviously someone important gave it to her if she was going to go ninja on everyone who tried to touch it.

She watched me cautiously as I continued to play with it. I don't know why. I just liked the way it looked. Don't judge me. It was like the coloured water inside was trying to pull me into a trance. I don't know, like...it felt...familiar. Like I'd felt something like it before. Completely weird since it was just some coloured stuff inside a peice of jewelry. But it still felt like that. And it was going to bother the hell out of me until I remembered.

I sat there for a long time, and Rin waited patiently as I slowly satisfied my curiosity. But damn, why couldn't I remember where I've seen this before?

I only dropped the thing when I heard a car door slam outside. Dad's home. Huzzah. Let the townsfolk rejoice. It took a few minutes, but finally the front door opened, and Rin nearly spun herself out of the stool. I guess because of the unexpectancy of a fifth person in the house. I didn't blame her. If it wasn't my dad I'd be scared too. Actually since it's my dad, I wasn't very happy.

"I'm home." He called in that bored voice of his. He closed the door behind him as he walked into the living room, having slipped off his shoes outside on the porch. Good thing since Rin worked hard all day cleaning the floor.

"Welcome home, Kagamine-san." Neru called as she placed a lid over a pot of cooking food.

"Yo!" Mikuo followed, giving a slight wave from his current position on the couch. Rin and I both said nothing, simply staring at him.

"Neru. Mikuo." He greeted, before rolling his unsually coloured eyes on me. "Len."

"...'Sup?" I nearly laughed at the way he sighed and adjusted his laptop bag on his shoulder. I wondered why people say we looked alike...Like, I know he's my dad and all, and somewhere in me I have his genetics, but all in all the way we wore our hair was the only thing we had in common.

My dad had silver hair that hung to his shoulders, but like me he kept it tied up in back. He had a paler complextion than I did, mostly because he was almost a hermit and I went out to the beach everyday. I didn't inherit my eyes from him either. His were a crimson red.

No, I'm not shitting you. No, it's not contacts, they really _are_ red. It made most people nervous, but since he was my dad I didn't really pay attention to it. It was simply natural to me by now.

Our personalities were complete opposites as well. While he was a raging work-a-holic, and tempermental, I was lazy and laid-back. I guess I take more after my mother...

"Who's your friend?" He asked, nodding to Rin as he loosened his purple tie and set his laptop bag onto the coffee table. "I told you no more guests without my permission."

"This is-" I began to unfold the story, but I was instantly silenced by a louder voice behind me.

"She's my cousin!" Neru said quickly, causing both my father and I to raise a brow at her.

"Your cousin?" He asked.

"Y-yes. Uhm, I'm sorry about not letting you know about her. Her name's Rin. Akita Rin. You see she lives in another city with my aunt Lola, but due to a freak steam roller accident she hit her head pretty hard and lost all her memories. My aunt wanted her to come live with me for a while since we were pretty close. She thinks I might be able to help her." As Neru rambled, I continued to give her a questioning look. Why the heck was she lying? Why the heck was she telling a _bad_ lie?

"I see," Dad said after a moment, "It's nice to meet you Rin. I'm Kagamine Dell, Len's father."

"She doesn't speak Japanese, Dad." I sighed. It was just like my dad to believe that obvious batch of crap that Neru just cooked up. She was such a goody-two-shoes to him that he'd probably beleive she was the Queen of some far away land called Cellphonia if she told him so.

"Like I said, she's forgotten a lot. The only thing she remembered how to do at first was walk, breathe, and eat." Neru said.

"She does a lot of all three." Mikuo said from the living room. I held back a laugh.

"Ah, that's interesting. I've never heard of an amnesia case that serious." Oh, there he goes again. Scientist first, dad second.

My father works in some tech lab during the summer. He's a total science geek, and always tries to find time to do some studying at that lab. I've never been there, but I knew it was in the mountains a few miles away. Dad used to work there all the time, but after mom died he couldn't find enough time between taking care of me, and working. So he got another job teaching some science class at my high school, so that when summer's here and school's out, he goes up to that lab for weeks on end. He's told me about it before, but he said I'm not allowed to visit. Makes me suspicious about the place...

"Yeah well...first time for everything." Neru laughed nervously, and began to pat her _counsin's_ blonde head. Rin looked highly confused at this point, and I nearly burst into laughter just at her expression. But for the lie's sake, I refrained. Poor Rin...caught in a lie and didn't even know it.

"Well...in any case," Dad said, running his fingers through his bangs, "She's welcome to stay. But next time, give me a fair warning, hm?"

"Yes, of course. Sorry."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Dad grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder once again. He told us to let him know when dinner was ready before heading back into his barely used room. Probably to open up his laptop and do some more work. Yeah, guess what kind of laptop my dad has...

It's a Dell. He thinks it's funny.

LAME.

* * *

**Rin**

Len said this new man's name was Dell. After some attempts at explaining things, I learned that he was Len's father. Dell was Len's father...Dell. That sounded so odd. Len's name sounded awesome. Mikuo's and Neru's were fancy. But Dell just sounded so...Bleh.

He scared me. He looks like a scary guy. I don't think I liked him very much. No matter, he wasn't any of my interest. Len and the other two were. They were my friend's. They didn't look scary. They didn't look at me like I was something strange...well they did, but only when I gave them reason to.

Even though Dell wasn't much of my interest, I certainly seemed to interest him.

He stayed in his room most of the time, but at dinner I caught him sneaking glances at me. I was sitting in one of the moving chairs with Len on my left, and Neru on my right, and Dell and Mikuo stood across from us on the other side of the counter, but I was the only one who noticed anything. They weren't glares or anything like that, but...something close to it. Like he was suspecting me of something. It made me feel so self conscious that I moved a little more towards Len, and kept my head down.

When dinner was over, Neru and Len set to washing up everything, and Mikuo went into the bathroom in the hall to get a shower. My hands were messy from eating with them (I still haven't mastered eating with those sticks) so I went into Len's room to use his bathroom to wash the mess off. As I entered the bathroom I heard the door close, but I thought nothing of it, figuring Len had come in or something. So as you can imagine, when I walked out of the bathroom and saw his father leaning against the door, I instantly became nervous.

I froze in the bathroom doorway, too scared to move out farther. He caught my motion, however, and turned his gaze toward me. It was still, and quiet for a moment, before his look became a full on glare. The intensity of it made me flinch, and I reached for the door to the bathroom with intent on closing it to protect me from him. But he was faster than me, and caught it with his foot before it shut completely. He forced it open, and I backed away slowly.

"Neru's **cousin, huh?**" He mumbled. I gasped as the back of my legs hit the edge of the bathtub, and he took a deep breath before speaking his next words.

"You don't belong here, little maid." He said. My eyes widened, and I clenched my jaw, my heart beating faster than I'd ever felt it beat before.

Not only had I understood what he had just said.

He was speaking in my own language. Len's father knew the language of my species.

* * *

**An- If this was a movie, this would be the part where I would add a "DUN DUN DUUUUN" **

**-smacked-**

**Anyway, my summer break just started, so hopefully I'll be getting a lot more writing done.**

**Oh, and I have a poll on my profile that I need votes on~**

**Don't forget to review ;3**


	10. The Rebellion

**An- WHAT THE HELL IS THIS-? Oh...it's an update 8D**

* * *

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You need to go home." Dell said. There it was again. That familiar collection of phonetics that went together to create the language I had heard since birth. The language that humans shouldn't know at all.

"Why do you...?" I trailed off, unable to think properly. I should have just kept my mouth shut. If I had any brain at all, I would have, but being the stupid girl I was...

Dell had suspected me of being what I was, how I didn't know, but the fact was that I wasn't supposed to be. I was supposed to be a human who simply didn't speak their language. Maybe a simple minded human girl who'd had no former education with anything involving the world. I was supposed to be a human who didn't understand _my_ language. By saying that one little half-question, I'd given Dell all the proof he needed. Judging the by that smirk on his face, he'd realized this too.

"Surprised?" He asked. I unclenched my fingers and tried to relax.

"How could I not be?" I mumbled quietly. I wondered, if I asked him, would he tell me why he knows my language? How he knew that I wasn't really human? Why he apparently wanted me to leave?

I remembered the day I spoke with Haku. How she had assured me of the potion's powers by saying it had worked fine on another maid. She had said it was a male, hadn't she? Could Dell possibly be...?

"I know what you're thinking," Dell said, his smirk dropping into a scowl, "and the answer is no. I'm not like you. Glad to say that I'm one hundred percent human."

"Then why do you know my people's language?" I asked, losing my fear, and gaining anger at how he was insinuating that being "like me" was a bad thing. I glared back up at him as I waited for an answer.

"I learned it." He said finally.

"From who?"

"You think you're the only little mutant running around up here?" He laughed with no amusement. Mutant? To call us such a thing...

"I know there's at least one more. So, he's been spilling secrets, has he?"

"Not really secrets. More like...data."

I felt betrayed. Here I was doing everything to sway any attention to our people away, and there was some...traitor ruining it all? How could he do something like that?

"What other kinds of...data...do you know?"

"That's none of your business."

"None of my-?"

"No. None. What is your business is what I'm telling you now. Go home. You don't belong up here. One of you running around is already too many." Dell said this bitterly, and I felt more anger bubble inside me. How dare he say that was none of my business? How dare he tell me to go home? After all I gave up? After hurting my family the way I did? After finally getting to meet, and know Len?

No way. I don't care what he told me, I wasn't going to move from this house.

"Len says I can stay, doesn't he?" I said smugly.

"Len doesn't run this house. I do. He, Neru, and Mikuo have to do as _I_ say. Not as _they_ want. That's how it works with humans, or do you have some barbaric parental system that you can compare it to?" He smirked again, and I growled slightly. "So when I tell you to leave, you had better listen. Or else."

He was threatning me now? What kind of guy was this?

"Or else what?" I asked in a daring tone. At this he dropped his hands from the door frame and began to head for me. I subconciously tried to back up, even though I was already backed against the tub. I nearly toppled over backwards, but managed to catch myself right before Dell grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled. He was so much taller than me that I actually was lifted off the ground and forced the stand on the tips of my toes. My hands wrapped around his, trying to pry him off of me with no give.

With his other hand he reached up to my neck and took hold of my necklace, pulling it toward him as well. I was worried the string would snap, but it didn't.

"It's this, isn't it?" He asked, shaking the necklace a little. From this distance, I could smell the smoke on his breath. What the hell caused that I wondered? Was he so mean that he naturally had a fire inside of him somewhere? In any case, I didn't like it.

I didn't answer him, but continued to try and pull him off of me.

"The other one has one of these, too. He told us what will happen if it breaks. You go back to being a little half-breed don't you? Perhaps you don't listen to me. Perhaps I take this little glass ball and let it shatter all over the floor."

I froze.

"You wouldn't.." I challenged.

"Oh, but I would. I'll make you share your secret to the whole world if I have to." Dell's expresssions of annoyance and anger were clearly winning over mine. I was beginning to fear him again.

"Why do you know all these secrets?" My voice was a whisper now, "Why would the other one tell _you_ all this? Why?"

"There's some things I just can't say. I will tell you this much, however. I only know all these things you call 'secrets' because it's part of what I do. I don't plan on revealing the other to you, nor do I plan to let anyone else know about him, or his identity. You are a different case though. I don't want you here."

"Len doesn't seem to mind me."

"He doesn't know any better. It's better if he never does," Ah, finally something we could agree on. "But _I_ do."

"And why is it that you seem to hate my people so much?" I asked, and he hesitated for a moment.

"Because," he said, "you and your _people_ are liars, and you're demons. And nothing good ever comes from you. And that's why I want you out. I'll be civilized for the time being. But after I leave, if I come back and you're still here...I'm not afraid to take drastic measures."

With that he released me. Actually he shoved me. But considering my current position, I lost my balance and toppled backwards. Into the tub.

As my bottom hit the hard porcelain, and my back hit the opposite side, the breath was knocked out of me, and a blunt pain exploded once the back of my head jolted against the wall with a loud thud. It hurt pretty bad, but I wasn't going to let myself cry in front of this guy. Instead I limited it to a hiss and clutched the spot where I had hit it. My knees and back were sore from the way I had landed, but they were dull compared to the throbbing in my skull.

As I glared up at him, Dell smirked at me in amusement. I hate this guy! I've never said that about anyone before, but I mean it when I say that I hope karma shows up when he's least expecting it!

From the next room I could hear quick footsteps heading in our direction. All the noise of my fall had probably alerted one of the others. No sooner had I heard the bedroom door open did I see Len lean around the door frame with a confused expression. As his eyes landed on me, he sighed as if he was relieved about something. Neru followed behind him as he came in, and she said something to Dell as Len tried to help me out of the tub.

That smirk was gone from his face and he now had an expression of false concern. I don't know what he was telling them, but I do know it was the biggest lie they had ever heard.

Len helped me to stand and he said something in which the tone sounded if he was asking if I was alright. But I wasn't sure of this, so I didn't say anything back. I didn't want to give him the wrong answer. One of his hands went to the back of my head where I was holding it, and he pushed my hand aside to look at the likley bruise that was there. His skin felt cold, probably from washing the dishes, but it felt nice against the pain, so I placed my hand over his to make him hold it there.

He didn't reject me, but I could tell by how he was looking out of the corner of his eye that he was paying more attention to what Neru and Dell were saying. By the look on his face, Len didn't seem to be liking what he heard.

Don't believe him Len.

I didn't know how to to tell Len what really happened, but oho once I do you better watch it buddy.

Mark my words. I _will_ tell on you.

* * *

The next morning both Len and I woke up in extremely grouchy moods.

I could barely sleep all night because of constant headaches I kept having. I don't even know why. All I did was get hit in the head once and there it is, headache after agonizing headache. So with pain and sleep deprevation I wasn't a happy person this morning.

Poor Len had to suffer too...I'd woken him up when I'd tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I'd wanted to see if water would help the pain go away. It didn't. But after that he worried over me until I finally got him to understand what was wrong. He gave me this small little white thing and a glass of water and told me to eat it. I did. My headaches went away shortly after. Whatever that thing was, it was a miracle made by humans.

The only problem? My headaches only went away soon before sunrise. Another problem? We had to get up early today.

Len and I had only gotten at most four hours of sleep before Neru came barging in and shaking us awake. She and Len battled for awhile until she yanked the blanket off of us and dragged us onto the floor by our ankles. That only made my headaches come back. After that though there was no choice but to get up. After grabbing some of the clothes she'd gotten for me, Neru ushered me into the shower.

She still wouldn't let me taste that white thing she called soap. It smelled fine to me. Maybe this was the reason why she wouldn't let me in the shower by myself...hm...

After that she helped me dress as quickly as possible and dragged me into the living room. I wanted to tell her that my head and bruises were sore from all this movement, but something told me that even if I could, she wouldn't let up. I wondered what was so important that we had to do this morning?

Neru released me to head into the kitchen and dug around in a golden yellow bag. On the counter next to her was a pile of little rectangular papers and some coins. That stuff that Miku explained to me once...um...Yen? I think that was it. They used it for trade, if I remembered right. Were we going shopping today? Is that why Neru was so excited?

Back home the shops sold only one thing. Jewelry. Necklaces, bracelets, hair clips, belts, rings, headdresses. All made from random materials we find like coral, shells, bones, empty crab shells, hallowed turtle shells, pearls from oysters, or even human materials we pick up at wreck sites like wood, metal, strings, or plastic. Were shops above the water the same? I would figure that humans with their technology would have more to sell. What sort of magic items would the vendors offer up? I was becoming more excited as I realized all this.

Len walked calmly up next to me, saying something to Neru as she stuffed the little papers into her bag. I tugged on his shirt sleeve and as he turned to me I pointed to my head. Understanding this as "Rin has another headache. Your assistance is much appreciated," he sighed, but nodded. I waited patiently on the couch while he brought me two more of the little white medicines and a glass of water. I swallowed them gratefully and stood to take the glass into the kitchen when _he_ walked out into the living room.

Dell yawned and finished tying the band into his graying locks, his bag slung over his shoulder and a small package in his hand.

"**Leaving already?**" Len said in a annoyed tone.

"**The lab called. Seems they need me for something.**" He replied, and sent a look at me that to the normal eye would seem disinterested. Only I could see the real hate in those red irises. My fingers latched onto Len's shirt as I slowly snuck behind him. I'm not going to say that Dell didn't scare me. He frightened me. He hurt me. Whenever he was around I felt safer with someone who would make sure he wouldn't do it again.

* * *

**Len**

"Leaving already?" I asked as I eyed my father. I didn't bother hiding the irritation in my tone. He shrugged and fiddled with the pack of cigarrettes in the hand before answering.

"The lab called. Seems they need me for something."

They need him for something. _They_ need him for something. Hah. Typical. Work over family once again.

Don't judge me ok? I don't have daddy issues, so don't assume I do. You know what they say about the word 'assume?' It makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me.'...Get it?

I opened my mouth to say some smarty pants comment, but his attention wasn't on me anymore. It was on Rin for some reason.

But what bothered me more is how as soon as she realized this change, she hid behind me. Was she afraid of him? Since when was Rin afraid of anything she didn't investigate first? I mean she put her hand on a boiling pot of water for Pete's sake. Perhaps it was Dad's 'whatever. I don't give a shit' aura, but...I dunno, this change in behavior set up a red flag for me.

"How long will you be gone this time?" I asked, calling his attention back to me. He hummed in thought.

"Probably until school starts...so about a month. By the way, have you gotten everything you need for school this year?"

"We were going shopping today. We can pick up stuff we need while we're out." Neru said as she zipped up her purse.

"Shopping?"

"Mhm. A new market place just opened up in town. I wanted to check it out."

"It's gonna be more like a flea market, ya know? Or like something from those movies from the middle ages. I wouldn't be surprised if someone wanted to sell me a mutton chop."

"Shutup, Len-kun."

Len 1, Neru 0.

"Well in any case...don't pull what you did last year and only show up with a pencil, ok, Len?" Dad gave me an unamused look and I smirked and shrugged.

"I'll see what I can do." As I said this he shook his head and headed for the door. Saying his goodbyes he departed and shut the door behind him. It was only then that Rin came out from behind me with a sigh. I gave her a puzzled look and she only blushed and shrugged.

* * *

Outside it felt cooler than it had been lately. A nice breeze blowing past every now and again. I could hear the waves caused by this crashing against the shore down below. The sun was shining, dullishly through a thick bundle of white clouds giving the place a dusk sort of feel. Might rain again, I guessed.

We decided to take my car, seeing as Mikuo's was a hunk of hand-me-down junk. Mine? Heh...Fourth generation, lemon yellow camero. He'd been begging me for ages to let him drive it so when we got outside I tossed Mikuo the keys. He stared at me in disbelief as I climbed into the back seat with Rin, letting Neru have shotgun. I helped Rin put on her seatbelt as she was busy studying the interior of the car. Didn't really surprise me that she looked like she had no idea what was going on. By the look on her face, she liked the car.

As soon as the car was cranked, Mikuo shoved in one of my random CDs that he liked. I didn't really pay attention to what group it was since I'd heared all of the CDs like a million times. While he and Neru argued in the front seat, I turned my attention to Rin beside me. She was looking out the window as we pulled onto the road. As started to get away from the beach, a smile began to grow on her mouth. I don't know why but the whole trip I kept watching her. Maybe I just didn't want to listen to the two idiots in the front seat...eh...

As we left the rural area and started getting closer to the city, Rin was practically smushing her face against the small window, taking in everything she could. Her smile bright, her eyes widened as little by little, the buildings got taller and less homey. Might be a little safe to say she was a city girl. We passed several buildings, not one being immune from Rin's eyes or her questionings of "This?" or "What?" and I would answer her as best I could. I bet she didn't get half of it, but it didn't sway the amazed expression on her face.

"I'm just saying that you and Len-kun listen to the most horrid of music." Neru was saying in the front seat, eyes glued to her cellphone as usual. I could see Mikuo's face in the rearview mirror, and his expression had hardened.

"Well _excuse me, princess._ We don't really like to listen to your A-pop...Fuckin' Lady Gaga..."

"I _like_ Lady Gaga."

"Well I _like_ Super Junior."

...Why am I friends with them again? I couldn't for the life of me remember...I probably never will.

"You know Super Junior is just a boy-band. Only for screaming fangirls."

"Are you questioning my masculinity?"

"I'm questioning wether you were dropped on your head at birth."

"...How would I know?"

"Exactly."

"You guys fight like a married couple..." I commented from the back and both of them looked surprised not at me, but at each other. Then the ligth turned green and Mikuo looked back to the road. I snickered. Only a matter of time. Wish they'd hurry up and confess to each other already, jeez.

As I had previously guessed, the place we were headed for was more like a flea market than anything else. Neru liked these sort of things though. When we pulled into the shopping district I could practically see the shine in her eyes. Bargain-whore. She spends the rest of her money on her damn cell phone. So whenever these types of markets are set up in the city, or in town, she always drags Mikuo, or me (or both) along with her. Maybe with Rin with us, that wouldn't happen as much anymore.

After fighting about where to park, Mikuo finally gave in and parked in a handicapped spot. I told him if we got a ticket, he was gonna pay it. Not me. My car, but not my damn problem. Neru was just way too impatient..I mean really..Think of the real handi capped people...

So with the paranoid idiot keeping watch so we wouldn't get found out, we hurridly got out of the car, locked it and proceeded as if we had no idea who owned it. As we started into the place, I kind of laughed. It was packed with people and even some of their pets had been brought along. The ones behind the stands shouted and created as much noise as possible to bring people to their side of the street. There were shops for almost anything...Clothes, games (board and video), childrens toys, food, jewlery...Then the weird stuff like candles, posters, paintings...stuff almost no one wanted. I swore I saw one lead by a church.

I felt more than heard Rin gasp beside me, and I watched her out of the corner of my eye. It seemed this place was also an interest to her, judging by her expression. Figures.

"Hey, Rin..." She turned her bright and excited eyes toward me, and I felt my face grow a little warm. Geez this summer heat was so annoying..

"Don't go wandering off or anything, ok? Stay. With. Me." I told her, and as if she understood every single word, she nodded and grabbed my hand in her own. As...odd as that was, it was for the best. Who knows what could happen if she wandered off by herself? I didn't want her hurting someone, more importantly herself.

"Stay with Len." She echoed with a smile. Somtimes I wonder if she really did understand Japanese and was just faking it. I pat her head with my free hand and tightened my grip on hers with the other. No way she was getting away from me. I knew Neru and Mikuo wouldn't watch her...In fact...

"Ohh! Look over here!" Neru suddenly cried, seeing something of her interest. She grabbed Mikuo by the wrist and dragged him along toward the stand. Rin and I watched (with me in amusement) as he protested and struggled to get away until they were well into the crowd of people. Neru was like a human bulldozer.

I looked back to Rin, and she to me.

"Um...want breakfast?" I asked and she nodded.

"Oranges?"

"We'll see." I laughed as I lead us to walk. Rin and her oranges...

We took our time passing the stands, trying to pick out which ones had the good stuff, and which ones were selling nothing but fried grease on a stick. I was kind of in the mood for beef teriyaki, but who knows if Rin would like it? Eh...she'd eat the rice. I haven't met anyone that didn't like teriyaki so...

I felt Rin thread her fingers with mine, and I don't think she even realized it. Her eyes were locked on the stands. I however did notice, and I couldn't help but stare at our hands for a moment, causing me to almost walk right into this _huge_ woman who was standing in line for a pizza stand. But I'm awesome so I managed to avoid it at the last second. I hate running into people. Especially huge people. Ugh..

"Len," Rin tugged at my sleeve, "Here?" I followed her pointing figer toward the stand.

It looked like one of the fancier stands, decorated with flowers of all kinds. The tables were covered in white table cloths, and the tops of the stand had white curtains hanging from it. Under the loud murmer of thousands of people talking, I could hear soft piano music coming from it. A few women were crowded around it so I guess it was a jewelry place.

"Len." Rin tugged at my sleeve again.

"What?"

"Here."

"What here?"

"Here." She pleaded. I could only guess she wanted to look. So I let her. While ignoring my growling stomach. There had to be some place that sold teriyaki...or at least some pizza. I mean c'mon!

Rin excitedly approached the table of items, still holding onto my hand. It looked like this place specialized in women's accessories. Not really my style. Hairclips, scrunchies, head bands...buh. Rin studied it all very quizically, as if it was all some ancient treasure or something. But her expression held slight disinterest at the same time, as if she really didn't see what she was looking for. It was at least a full minute before she even acknowledged anything on the table. What she _did_, she snatched it up right before a woman was about to grab it. Heh Heh. Going slow loses the race, lady.

Rin let go of my hand to hold the ivory coloured ribbon in her hands. The colour had almost made it blend in with the table cloth; I hadn't even noticed it lying there. Rin studied it for a long while, flipping it, twisting it, wrapping it around her arm and then unwrapping it. Hey, this ribbon is Rin-tested, and approved! Apparently. For she looked up at me with the most pleading of expressions I'd ever seen.

Oh jeez.

"What?"

"This?"

"It's a ribbon. You wear it in your hair...D-...Do you want it?"

"Want?"

"Uh...Do you want to take it home?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

I sighed. Fuuuuuck. I was so hungry, I guess I would have bought her everything on the table if it got me some breakfast already.

"Finally." I sang with a grin, opening up the large box of my order. Beef teriyaki, half rice, half vegetable and with extra sauce. Heaven here I come.

Rin and I had found a bundle of picnic tables that had been set up for those who didn't want their meals on sticks. Good thing, because walking around with teriyaki...isn't really a good idea. You could drop it and there goes your money down the drain. Not like I was running out of it...but even if I was claimed to be a 'rich' kid, I still knew the value of a dollar. Well...yen. Whatever.

Rin sat across from me, leaning forward to stare puzzeldly into the box. She'd never had teriyaki before (well at least staying with us she hadn't), but how can anyone not like this stuff?

"Here." I offered her a forkfull of rice and vegetables and she put the food into her mouth without hesitation, leaning over the table so she could do so without taking the fork from me. I waited as she processed the taste, and then smiled as she picked up her black, plastic fork and began to eat from the vegetable side. I took the rice. Rin was practically vaccuming the food into her mouth, but I prefered to take my time. Not that I didn't want to scarf it down. I just didn't want to have to walk around the market for awhile. That ribbon Rin tied into a bow in her hair looked nice (I mean like...REALLY cute) but I hate to wait around for girls to shop.

They take forever.

As Rin was about to put a bite of cabbage into her mouth she winced a bit and placed her palm to her forehead. Another headache? Geez, did she get a freaking crack in her skull?

"Here Rin." I said, taking one of the asprin from the bottle I'd kept in my pocket and handing it to her. Good thing I was prepared. She put it in her mouth and swallowed it down with the bite of veggies and teriyaki sauce. At this rate she was going to be an addict...

I started thinking about the 'accident' she had in the bathroom. Did she really fall like dad said? I mean, it seemed like something Rin would do, being her clumsy self, but...the way she reacted to him this morning. It still bothered me.

"Hey Rin?" As I spoke, she paused mid-bite and looked quizically at me. I stared back at her for a moment, unsure of what to say. The morning pre-rain breeze sent her hair flying in different directions; her new bow bouncing in the currents of air. I found that highly entertaining for some reason.

"Uh...Dad...Dell...he didn't uh...do anything bad to you, did he?"

As I spoke his name, her eyes darted to the food on the table and she flushed a little bit of pink. Did he really...?

"Did he...hurt you?"

"Hurt?" She said in an almost unaudible tone.

"Like...did he do this?" I reached out and touched the spot on her head that she had hit the previous night. She winced and flinched away from me. Her eyes were still looking at everything but mine.

"Dell...yelled." She said finally, toying with the plastic fork in her fingers. The teriyaki lay completely forgotten at this point. I felt my mouth tighten in a bit of anger. He...yelled at her. For what?

"He...yelled at you?" I echoed. She nodded.

"What did he say?" I felt my tone becoming more of that of someone interrogating another...but..I think Rin knew that she wasn't the one I was getting irked at. She raised her eyes back up at me, but said nothing. It was quiet for a long moment, before I huffed and took a bite of the cooling food in front of me. I placed my cheek into my palm and stared off into the random pockets of buyers. From here I think I could see Neru fighting off some woman for a cellphone cover.

"Len?" I felt a tug on my sleeve. I looked back toward the blonde girl, who was now standing up from the table. I raised a brow. She tugged harder on my clothes so I complied and stood up with her. I allowed her to guide me away from the table so she and I were facing each other. Then she jabbed her finger into my chest.

"Rin." She said. Then she pointed to herself.

"Dell." She said.

"What?"

"Len..Rin...Rin...Dell."

"Oh, you wanna play charades, huh? Alright, go ahead."

I watched her as she took a breath. Slowly her expression became one of anger and all at once her fingers wrapped tightly around the collar of my shirt. She went to tug upwards, as if to lift me off the ground, but thought better of it.

"No stay here." She said in a weird impersonation of Dad's voice. Then she shoved me as she let go.

What the...? Oh...He did _not..._

"Rin, did he push you into the tub?" I asked quickly, feeling my temper rising. I knew Rin understood the words 'push' and 'tub' so when she avoided looking at me, and instead found the ground more interesting, it made my blood boil. What the hell, Dad? I mean I knew you were an asshole, but really? Pushing girls around where they get hurt? Not cool. Not cool at all.

"So, he doesn't want you to stay, does he?" I asked rhetorically, letting sarcasm ooze across my words. As I spoke, I returned to the table, eager to finish eating. Rin followed close behind. So close that when I paused in my steps, she bumped into me. I turned around to look at her; she raised her brows at me in that signature "What the hell?" look that always made me smile.

It also made my anger at my father grow stronger. I mean, I can understand him being a douche muffin to me, but not to someone he'd just met. Even if Rin had been doing something she shouldn't have, pushing her into the tub isn't really a punishment that would fit would it? I definitely didn't think so...

I lifted one hand and patted the top of her head, carefull to not mess up her ribbon.

"Don't worry. You're not going anywhere, Rin."

If my Dad wanted a rebellious child, by hell he's got one now.

* * *

**An- sorry.. this chapter's really boring isn't it? ;A;**

**ANYWAY, I'm done with the opening arc. Guess what that means? Yup. I got more shtuff to write 8D**

**BY THE WAY. BY THE WAY. A few of the Authors here on FF have joined into a small chorus to compete in the YT Chorus competition~ Give us your support! **


	11. Update Don't Get Too Excited

I know it's been awhile since I've updated. I know it's been over a year. I know I take really long hiatuses (hiatusi?). But trust me when I say this story is far from abandoned. During my break from writing I've been going back to the drawing board with this story. Thinking about which characters need to go where. Which setting seems right for each scene. Developing sub-plots and sub-plots to sub-plots. I've even planned up a sequal if I can get it to play out right.

So this story is not abandoned. Please stop trying to adopt it. This is my baby. I gave life to it, and I'll take care of it. This is the first story I've put so much thought into and I don't appreciate people thinking I don't care about it...

I'm back from hiatus now and I'll come back to working on this story as soon as I can find my writing skills haven't depleted entirely. I have some of the next chapter written already.

I'm sorry I've left it at such a lame cliffhanger but you gotta understand I got a life too D=

College is really kicking my ass.

But yeah. Even if I have to force myself, I will finish this story myself.

-Unity

P.S- I always hated when authors posted these chapter notes... ORZ


	12. In Session

Funny...

Funny how short a whole month seems. Everyday is like a blur when I'm here. With my friends. I guess that saying of 'Time flies when you're having fun' is true. I've had nothing _but_ fun since the day I set foot (tail...whatever) up here. Everyday a blur of laughs and brightness. Even when the storms came and went it was always like a sunny day.

It's already been a whole month. A month! Who ever knew I'd last this long! I'd come up here a complete foreigner and now it was like...it didn't matter. Things had become accustomed to me as I have to them. Even language wasn't as much of a barrier anymore. Of course I still sounded like a child in the ways of speech, but I could hold a decent conversation if I wanted to...I have to admit the grammar is a little tricky though.

"Oi! Rin! You coming or what?"

"Yes! Coming!" I called back over my shoulder, but I refaced the mirror once more. My hair was brushed, teeth brushed, hair clips in, bow tied. My outfit was ironed, and my necklace was safely tucked under the collar of my white button-up. Alright. Perfect...or at least as perfect as it was gonna get. I scurried back into the bedroom and grabbed the messenger bag hanging from the edge of the computer desk's chair.

"Rin, I** swear **if you **don't** hurry up-"

"Coming, Len. Geez." I said this sharply as I exited the bedroom, slinging my bag over my shoulder. It was heavy from everything that we had stuffed into it the previous night. It would have been easier if Neru-onee and Mikuo were still here. They'd gone home the previous week, leaving Len and I to have the house to ourselves. It was weird. It was a lot quieter after they'd left, and I didn't much care for it. I missed hearing the yelling, the laughing, the yelling again...

But Len and I managed to keep ourselves entertained. Mostly by him trying to teach me Japanese in time for today.

"Finally. I was **beginning** to** think **you'd died in there..." He said casually. I pouted a bit and crossed my arms.

"Sorry I keep you waiting."

"Kept."

"What?"

"The correct **tense** of that sentencewould be that you _kept_ me waiting."

"...Oh." See what I mean? Len only laughed at me, and I flushed. I hated when he laughed at me because I did something stupid...Stupid Rin. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"We go now?" I asked, bouncing on my toes a bit. Len sighed and rested his face against the counter.

"I'd** rather **not..." He said; it was muffled because of the way he was positioned, but I could still hear him. I huffed in annoyance. Wasn't he the one rushing me a second ago? Geez, Len, make up your mind.

"Hurry up." I mocked his earlier tone, and his head shot up to stare straight at me. I smirked at him and motioned for him to stand. With a groan he did so, his car keys jingling in his left hand.

"Alright. Alright." He grumbled, coming from around the counter. He looked nice in his uniform, but how could he wear that winter jacket like that? It had to be scorchingly hot outside...Hm...maybe it was me?

"Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up." I chanted as I skipped out the front door. The morning air was thick with moisture from the ocean, and warm. It would turn way hotter later in the day. The sky was full of puffy white clouds that revealed only one or two spots of dull blue. A light breeze hit my face.

"I can't believe you're this **excited**..." Len mumbled as he exited the house. I loved how fast I was learning this language. I could almost understand that whole sentence!

"What is **excited**?" I asked. Len didn't answer me right away. Instead he locked the front door of the house, lazily stomped down the stairs off the porch, and then unlocked his car with the press of a button from it's key-ring. I giddily raced around to the other side that didn't have the big wheel, and plopped into the seat. Len, of course, took his time.

"**Excited**," he said as he started the car, "is a word that means you're...looking forward to something. You're really happy about getting to do something."

"Oooh." If that was the case, then yes. I _was _excited. Because today...was my first day of school.

* * *

**Len**

I pulled up into the senior parking lot and parked in the correct space. I was just glad my car wasn't the only flashy looking thing in the lot...Rin practically bounced in her seat as the engine to the car stopped, and her eyes instantly glued to the two story building that was labled as my personal hell. As she reached for the door handle, I stopped her and she looked back at me quizically.

"Listen, Rin," I said sternly; she relaxed in my grip on her wrist to hear me out, "I know we spent the whole summer going over your language skills, but don't get cocky-...er...don't...don't get too excited about it. You still only know the basics and you're still having trouble with reading."

"What should Ri-...er..._I_ do?" She flushed as she corrected herself.

"Well...You and I have different classes... But all the teachers know about that fake story that Neru made up to cover your ass..." She smirked at me.

"Listen, just...don't do anything stupid."

"Rin is _not_ stupid!"

"I didn't call you stupid! I said don't act stupid!" Ugh! How I wish sometimes that she could have stayed that cute girl that didn't know a couch from a TV! She's getting too smart for me.

She pouted, her cheeks puffing up in a childish manner. I took a deep breath and got out of the car. She followed my actions and I locked it as she swung the door shut. There were a few other people who were in the lot, all happily chatting with friends they hadn't seen all summer. No use eavesdropping on their conversations seeing as there couldn't be anything interesting in them.

From the corner of my eye I saw a blur of white and yellow try and dart past me.

"Woaaah, slow your horses there." I said, grabbing Rin's hand in my own. It stopped her short, jerking her like a dog on a short chain. She looked back at me, brushing some of her hair out of her face. I smiled like the jerk I am, and pulled her back beside me.

"See? You already tried to do something stupid." I told her as we walked toward the school. Even though I could tell she was angry with me, she still gripped my hand in hers. Her steps were far more energetic than mine and her free hand clung to the handle of her bag while mine remained in the pocket of my jacket.

"Len?"

"Yes?"

"What is classes? What's schedual and what's semester?" Oh boy. Here we go.

"Classes," I replied "are boring as hell. The scheduals here are ridiculous, and the semester is _way _too long." She eyed me with a highly confused expression and I sighed.

"The classes are where each lesson is held. Scheduals list what classes you have. A semester is how long you must remain in that class." As I explained, her confusion turned into understanding. Really...I could only use the basics with her. She was like a two year old. But damnit...she was _my_ two year old.

It was weird how she'd ended up living with _me_ and not with Neru seeing as she was supposed to be _her_ cousin. Not mine. Oh well. Just proves how oblivious people are.

As we entered the school, Rin's eyes darted everywhere, eating up everything in minute detail. Me? I'd seen it before. Woohooo. Big deal. A few people were watching us as we passed through the commons and into the cafeteria. Most of them were girls. I knew trouble was coming there. It was no secret that I was considered the school's heart-throb...I don't give a shit. I guess that also makes me the bad boy around here. Now that title...heheh...that one's a better title to have around. I mean...who wants to be fawned over by fake bitches with no real personality all the time? Not I.

I mean..I don't like her like that or anything, but Neru is cool. Mostly because she's one of the most amusing people I've ever listened to. The first on that list _had _to be Rin though. But that goes without saying I suppose. I mean that girl is a little freak of nature, but damnit no one can look at her without wanting to get on her good side. She should use her powers of cuteness for good and not evil...

As we wandered into the cafeteria I was hit by the strong smell of syrup. Must be serving pancakes or something for breakfast. I scanned the tables until I found the one Neru, Mikuo and I had sat at all last year. They were already there, bickering as always. They didn't even notice when Rin and I sat down.

"How can you possibly think that she's hot?"

"Um..._hello_. Have you _seen_ her chest? I mean holy crap!"

"Ugh, you're such a dissapointment to the human race."

"That's not what your sister said last night."

"Don't you _dare_ talk about Naru that way!" That remark followed by a quick slap to the face. It looked like it stung, but it managed to get that teal haired idiot to look in our direction.

"Dude! When'd you guys get here!" He held his hand to his quickly reddening face. Rin and I shared a look before I shook my head.

"You're like freakin' NINJAS!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. Neru, of course, smacked him in the back of the head.

"You're so loud! No one wants to get a headache this morning...quiet down...plus those girls are like zombies...if you're too loud you'll draw their attention." She wrinkled her nose as she mentioned these zombies, and I wanted to do the same.

In highschool there's always that one group of people that everyone hates, but pretends to like because they're...what is it?...Popular? Yeah. Or hot. Or rich, or something. I don't know it all depends. But our school isn't any different.

"Bring it on, I'm ready to take on The Drills." Mikuo held his fists up, and punched the air. I couldn't help but crack a smile at the stupid nickname we'd dubbed the leader of the zombies.

A girl named Teto Kasane was the leader of the pack. I won't lie, she was pretty attractive but boy was she a bitch. Five feet of pure evil was in that chick. The first time I ever met her was in ninth grade in math class...

I was just sitting there...minding my own business, probably doodling in my notebook, and then all of a sudden SWOOSH. Everything knocked off my desk and replaced with Kasane's ass. She propped herself up on her hands, and stuck her chest out (like it would help when she only wears an A cup at best) and crossed her legs. Now, I'm not stupid...but I am a guy...so if I was more like Mikuo, I probably would have been speechless then and there. But she struck up one short conversation on how I was to become...basically her new boy toy.

That shit don't go with me.

She wasn't too happy when I told her to move her pretty little self off my desk and leave me alone.

So now she's taking out her frustration on us. Anyone associated with me? She bullies. Hell, she even takes shot at me sometimes...Girls are scary.

"What are your schedules like?" I asked, placing mine on the table. The paper was a neon yellow colour and hurt my eyes if I looked at it too long. Neru and Mikuo withdrew their identical sheets and we all just kind of passed them around. I had gym class with Mikuo, but it looked like Neru and I would only hang out during lunch. And Rin was in some of the really simple classes usually reserved for mentally handicapped students. It would have to work for now since she really couldn't do anything our level.

My first class today was english with Hiyama, then gym with Megpoid, chemistry with Dad (Oh joy a class I look forward to), and then choir with Prima. I thank God that I don't have to take a math class this year. Especially now that I'll have to help Rin with her homework too. Now that I think about it...how did we manage to sign Rin up at all? We didn't have any transcripts or I.D or anything for her... Maybe they realized she was a danger to herself without someone keeping an eye on her... I don't know I'm just glad this school fails at life.

"Damn. I was hoping we'd have a class this year." Neru muttered, passing my schedual back to me. I folded it in half and stuffed it into my backpack.

"Ah well. We'll still hang out at lunch." I gave her a shrug.

"Well, good moooorning Len-kun." A high pitched voice suddenly broke though our circle and I felt arms wrap around me from behind.

"Get off of me, Kasane..." I muttered in a dark tone. Kasane only giggled and placed her head on my shoulder. All I saw was a bunch of pink from those drills of hers.

"Don't be shy, Len-kun. It's ok to admitt you missed me." She copied my dark tone, making it obvious she was messing with me. She knew good and well I hadn't given her a thought all summer.

Rin, who had been looking around the large room, snapped her eyes to me and Kasane. By her expression she didn't look like she liked seeing Kasane's arms around me.

"I said get off." I had a warning tone to my voice now. Neru and Mikuo only glared at her and Rin looked as if she was about to tackle her. I swatted her hands off of me and turned around to push her back. I didn't like being mean to girls but, I'll make an exception for this one. Kasane only smiled as she took her steps backwards towards her group of friends. Leon, Miki, and some new freshman girl with black hair smiled evily at our table, getting a kick out of watching Teto troll me.

"Just go away Drills, we don't want you here." Mikuo said, smirking through his use of her nickname. She frowned then. She'd never liked our little pet name for her. It was her fault really...twirling her hair like that until they looked like twin drills..weird hairstyle if you ask me but then again I hang out with a girl who wears a ponytail on the side instead of the back. What is this? The 80s?

"I just thought I'd tell you goodmorning. You don't have to be so rude about it. Who's your new friend?" Kasane ducked down to land eye-to-eye with Rin. While the Drill's look was more of a glare, Rin's was more of an inquisitive stare. Didn't look like Teto was too happy about it either.

"You a transfer student or something?" She asked, never tearing her eyes from the blonde girl. Rin however turned to me for assistance. I nearly laughed.

"Leave her alone, Drills." Mikuo made a shooing motion with his hand, "Rin's too good to talk to you."

"Speak when your spoken too, Hatsune," Teto broke her gaze from Rin for only a moment before bringing it back, "Rin, huh? What's the matter? Do you speak? You dumb or something?" At this, Rin's cheeks puffed up in anger.

"R-..._I_ am not dumb! You are a baby in a trench coat!" She shouted, shoving Teto away from her. Baby in a...? Ok, no more letting Rin watch Supernatural...

"Geez, Len-kun. From what circus did you get this one out of?" Teto let out a dark chuckle and smirked at me. No matter.

"Same one I found your mom in." I told her before picking up Mikuo's juice and taking a victory sip of it. Bad idea. It was that stupid vegetable juice he loved so much. Swallowed it down anyway like a boss. The expression on Kasane's faced looked the same as if I'd slapped her across the face. She huffed and turned on her heel, snapping her fingers to call her followers to do the same. Once they left, Mikuo and I exchanged high fives while Neru questioned where the hell a trench coat had come into the conversation.

* * *

The day went by...smoothly I guess. I mean...I had a hard time explaining to Rin that she needed to stay in her class and not come with me to mine. Seperation anxiety is strong in this one. The first day of all schools is always easy. Syllabus day. Getting to know the teacher day. Do nothing all day...day. Well except in Prima's class. Choir ususally started out with a bang and I wasn't expecting anything different. Right away she assigned us a few pages in the music workbook to make sure we hadn't been slacking during the summer. Of course slacking was my specialty but I had this course down flat. It was too easy. Only one of the reasons I adored this class.

Don't try and tell me that choir is for chicks. I'll kick your ass. It's quite manly...Chicks love a singer.

One day I'm gonna be big in the music industry. I just know it. Music is my biggest if not my only interest. I love it all. Pop, rock, metal, techno, jazz, classical, even country...Ok so some genres are more preferable than others...

But I digress.

After class was over for the day I had to go and get Rin from her class. I was starting to appreciate the fact that she was in a special class. That way she always had someone to keep an eye on her. Make sure she didn't get hurt doing something stupid. Throughout the day I had done nothing but worry that she would do or say something that would get her or even me in trouble.

From the classroom, a few of the other kids were filing out, ready to go home like everyone else. I'd told Rin to wait in the classroom for me. No matter what. She wouldn't leave with anyone else or by herself. That was the rule. If she broke it, there'd be serious consequences...And it was at that point in the lecture that she stopped me to ask what consequences were. I think the most fitting punishment was to take away the television...She was obssesed with all the shows...

I pulled open the door a little and peeked inside. I'd never really been to the special classrooms before...and I hated calling it that but...that's what it was called. People are people afterall.

There was a lot of colour in the room. Drawings (good ones too) of different scenes, objects, or people were posted on a bullitin board in the back, the tables were set up to be in a square on top of a thin (and slightly dirty) blue carpet. There were large windows and blue walls contrary to the usual white. There were two marker boards, one in the front and one on the side and a small chalk board in the back covered in doodles. Rin was standing in front of the front marker board. It looked like she was drawing something. The teacher was sitting at her desk, looking on with a smile as Rin doodled away. I stepped into the room and cleared my throat to catch Rin's attention. She turned to look at me and that usual smile spread across her mouth.

"Len! Here!" With a wave she gestured me forward, and I followed walking up to the board.

"Look." She said, turning back to it. I did. On the board were several small drawings. They weren't bad...but they weren't good either. They were...cute, however. There was a cat, a dog, a butterfly, a tree, a person with wings (an angel I guess) and all of these were surrounding a trio of four people. One had long hair and a bow, one had a side ponytail, one had short hair and the last had a short ponytail. It was us. I guess she'd been thinking of us all day. That's so fucking cute.

"Len like?" She asked me.

"Yeah...I like."

* * *

"So, what did you learn today?"

"Math!"

"Joyous. What kind?"

"Um...One and one makes two."

"You learned addition?"

"Yes. Addition."

Rin and I were in the living room. She was showing me things she'd done in her class today. Most of the papers were worksheets. On writing and reading and on math. There were a few simple equations on the papers and she'd written her own name at the top. While I was rumaging through it, she was sitting in front of the television watching the Hub channel. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic was on.

"Do you have homework?"

"Sonika-_sensei_ said homework in tomorrow."

"What do you have to do?"

She scrambled up from the floor and over to me. A single sheet of paper was pulled out of her folder and was held out to me. It was a worksheet on the alphabet. 'Study the characters and write them yourself' was what it said at the top.

"You really should get this done." I told her, handing it back. She looked at me a little pouty and I return with a stern look. Call me a hypocrite but I wanted Rin to do her homework. _Someone_ was gonna need to be the smart one around here. That way Rin could go to college and make all the money while I stay home and keep doin' my thing. The perfect roommate.

"...After dinner?" She asked. I grinned and shook my head. Procrastinator.

"Fine." With that she smiled and went back to watching Applejack and Rainbow Dash running against each other in a race. From outside I heard the sound of an engine approaching and then shutting off. There was a slamming door and then footsteps on the porch. I didn't react when the door opened but Rin sure did. She jumped and a solemn look crossed her face when she saw who was home.

Dad strode in and closed the door lightly behind him. There was a bit of a burning cigarette in his mouth but he smushed it out in the small ash tray I'd set on the counter. I'd told him I didn't want the house to smell like smoke and he'd respected that rule, only smoking outside but I let that last drag slide if he put it out before wandering off into the house. He looked at us both then, Rin on the floor and me on the couch. His eyes lingered on Rin for a long moment but she wasn't looking at him anymore. It'd been a while since he'd last seen Rin but I still remember what she'd told me. I was still pretty pissed off about it too.

"I'm home." He said in a low voice.

Dad usually came home a lot more during the school year really only leaving for the lab on weekends and holidays...and if he like going after school was out. Usually it was nice having him around. I only hated him because he acted like he hated me. Well..at least like he'd rather hang out at the lab than with me. Like I really didn't matter as long as I was sheltered and fed. Plus the whole attitude thing.

"Hey." I said. It was quiet except for the TV. Rin wouldn't tear her eyes from it and her posture was stiff. Probably scared of the elephant in the room.

"Len, can I talk to you for a minute outside?" He set his bag on the floor against the wall and walked back onto the porch.

"Rin, stay here." I sighed and followed him out. Rin gave me a nervous glance. Outside, Dad was leaning against the porch railing, looking out over the water. I stood there, and waited for a about a minute before he even said anything. From his pocket he pulled out a carton of cigarettes and lit one he pulled from it. A single drag. An exhale of smoke.

"What's she still doing here?" He asked. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and cast my eyes toward the water.

"She wanted to stay here."

"Isn't she Neru's cousin?"

"Yeah, but she wanted to stay here. Threw a fit about it actually. Guess she likes me better-"

"Len, don't lie to me." Finally he looked at me. He took another drag before saying more.

"It's obvious that girl isn't related to any of you. Who is she _really?_ And tell me the truth before I call Neru's mother and ask her myself."

Damnit.

"We...found her. On the beach...No one was with her. She was bleeding...and didn't have any clothes so we took her with us."

"You just took a stranger into the house?"

"She needed help!"

"She could have been dangerous, Len!"

"But she wasn't! Turns out she really didn't know what the fuck she was doing!"

"Watch your mouth..." He placed his face into his palm. I waited.

"You should have gone to the police."

"We did." We didn't. "We did our research, Dad. No one is looking for this girl. Whoever lost her, doesn't seem to want her back. Me, Neru, and Mikuo like her though. We want her to stay safe with us. So we let her stay. _I_ let her stay. And she's gonna _keep_ staying, or _both_of us will leave." That seemed to hit a nerve. He took a sharp breath and looked like he was going to yell at me some more. But he didn't. He took another long drag from his cigarette and crushed it out, unfinished.

"Fine." Was all he said. He turned back to the water with an angry expression on his face. Me leaving had always been a touchy subject for him..and he knew I'd meant what I said. Argument won. But there was one more thing.

"She told me what you did. When you pushed her. Don't do that again."

With that, I went back into the house.

* * *

**AN- YOU GUYS ARE SO NICE FOR WAITING FOR THIS CRAP.**

**Seriously...I'm sorry about my wicked long hiatusi...The fact that I've been fangirling over Supernatural and Misha Collins lately isn't helping. Making me want to write Destiel fanfiction.**

**By the way, if you don't watch Supernatural you probably won't get that baby in a trenchcoat joke.**

**And if you're wondering. Yes, I AM a pegasister. Brohoof anyone?**


End file.
